Contact the NJ State Archives
Mailing Address:
NJ State Archives
P.O. Box 307
Trenton, NJ 08625-0307

Office Address:
225 West State Street - 2nd Floor
Trenton, NJ

Contact Information

Email: Feedback@sos.nj.gov

Federal Records - Works Projects Administration (WPA), Relief Agencies and related records


The State Archives holds selected records of the Work Projects (formerly Works Progress) Administration or WPA. These are largely research files, record surveys and other materials produced by the New Jersey Writers Project.

We also have duplicate Historic American Building Survey (HABS) documentation for New Jersey sites.

Consult the National Archives page linked below for further information on records of the WPA and federal relief agencies.

Consult the Collecting Policy for additional information about the State Archives' accessioning guidelines.


See also: Records of State and Local Relief and Welfare Agencies

Series:
Civil Works Administration/Emergency Relief Administration
Photographs of Work Projects, ca. 1931-1936
Control #:
FCI00001
Format:
30 c.f. (50 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
Card File on New Jersey Employees, ca. 1938-1942
Control #:
FWP00001
Format:
0.5 c.f. (2 boxes)
Arrangement:
Alphabetical by employee name
Notes:
Includes mostly librarians, typists and clerical employees.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
Card file index on Marriages, Births and Deaths, ca. 1640-1900
Control #:
FWP00002
Format:
15 c.f. (66 card index boxes); 18 reels (16-mm)
Arrangement:
By event, then alphabetical by surname

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)
Measured Drawings of New Jersey Sites [Bluelines], 1931-1957
Control #:
FWPHA001
Format:
28.75 c.f. (58 boxes)
Arrangement:
By county, then site number

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)
Photographs of New Jersey Sites, ca. 1936-1941
Control #:
FWPHA002
Format:
7 c.f. (14 boxes)
Arrangement:
By county, then site number

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)
Data Sheets on New Jersey Sites, ca. 1936-1941
Control #:
FWPHA003
Format:
2.25 c.f. (5 boxes)
Arrangement:
By county, then site number
Notes:
Includes a name index in Box 1.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)
Miscellaneous Administrative Records, ca. 1935-1941
Control #:
FWPHA005
Format:
0.75 c.f. (various)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
New Jersey Ethnological Survey Records, 1935-1939
Control #:
FWPNW001
Format:
5.5 c.f. (6 boxes)
Arrangement:
Various
Notes:
Includes one box of unprocessed material.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Inventory of State Archives, 1941-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW002
Format:
4 c.f. (4 boxes)
Notes:
Consult printed inventory in Manuscript Reading Room.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Inventory of Federal, State, County, Municipal, and Church Archives, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW003
Format:
2 c.f. (2 boxes)
Notes:
Consult printed inventory in Manuscript Reading Room.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Inventory of Primary Source Material, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW004
Format:
98 c.f. (98 boxes)
Notes:
Includes inventories of county, municipal and church archives; consult printed guide available in Manuscript Reading Room.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Inventory of Portraits and Maps, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW005
Format:
3 c.f. (3 boxes)
Notes:
Consult printed inventory available in Manuscript Reading Room.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Inventory of Public and Private Manuscripts, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW006
Format:
13 c.f. (13 Boxes)
Notes:
Consult printed inventory in Manuscript Reading Room.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Transcripts of Public and Church Records, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW007
Format:
10 c.f. (10 boxes)
Notes:
Consult printed inventory in Manuscript Reading Room.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
New Jersey 1844 Constitutional Convention - Secondary Source Material, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW008
Format:
2 c.f. (2 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
New Jersey Penal and Correctional Institutions - Histories and Case Histories, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW009
Format:
3 c.f. (3 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
New Jersey Labor and Industry, Beginning and Development - Secondary Source Material, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW010
Format:
27 c.f. (27 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Source Book for New Jersey History - Biographies of Literary Contributors and Bibliographies of History, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW011
Format:
6 c.f. (6 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Bergen County History - Secondary Source Material, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW012
Format:
22 c.f. (22 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Card Files on Historical Research and Events, 1930s-1940s
Control #:
FWPNW013
Format:
4.75 c.f. (12 boxes)
Arrangement:
Various
Notes:
Includes cards from Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland Counties, Revolutionary War Activities and Place Name Origins.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
New Jersey - General Subjects - Secondary Source Material, ca. 1936-ca. 1941
Control #:
FWPNW014
Format:
18.9 c.f. (18 boxes, 3 card-files)
Notes:
Includes drafts of reports and notes.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Miscellaneous Records, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW015
Format:
9.5 c.f. (10 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Inventory of Church Archives - Research Material, ca. 1936-ca. 1941
Control #:
FWPNW016
Format:
14 c.f. (14 boxes)
Notes:
Consult printed inventory in Manuscript Reading Room referencing boxes #D-1 to #D-7.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Research in Laws and Public Requirements, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW017
Format:
2 c.f. (2 boxes)
Notes:
Consult printed inventory in Manuscript Reading Room referencing box #P-1.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Legal Boundaries of Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey - Research Material, ca. 1936-ca. 1941
Control #:
FWPNW018
Format:
2 c.f. (2 boxes)
Notes:
Consult printed inventory in Manuscript Reading Room referencing box #Q.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Legal Powers and Duties of State Departments and Officials - Research Material, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW019
Format:
2 c.f. (2 boxes)
Notes:
Consult printed inventory in Manuscript Reading Room referencing box #R-1.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Research in Primary Sources in New Jersey, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW020
Format:
29 c.f. (29 boxes)
Notes:
Consult printed inventory in Manuscript Reading Room referencing boxes #T-1 to T-18; boxes #T2 & T7 were apparently not accessioned.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Newark at Work: Industrial, Economic and Social Development - Research Materials, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW021
Format:
10 c.f. (10 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Histories of Counties and Municipalities - Secondary Source Material, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW022
Format:
16 c.f. (16 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
New Jersey Education: Histories of Schools, Colleges and Libraries - Secondary Source Material, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW023
Format:
3 c.f. (3 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
New Jersey Welfare Activities - Secondary Source Material, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW024
Format:
14 c.f. (14 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
New Jersey General Subjects - Publications, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
FWPNW025
Format:
13 c.f. (13 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Photographs, ca. 1935-1942
Control #:
FWPNW026
Format:
30 c.f. (62 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Calendar of Stevens Papers - Unpublished Manuscripts, no date
Control #:
FWPNW027
Format:
1 c.f. (2 boxes)

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
New Jersey Writers' Project
Historical Records Survey
Miscellaneous Transcripts and Other Records, 1938-1941
Control #:
FWPNW028
Format:
12 reels (35-mm)
Notes:
Includes manuscripts, published records and transcriptions.

Series:
Work Projects Administration (WPA)
Division of Women's and Professional Projects
Report: Work in New Jersey, 1936
Control #:
FWPWO001
Format:
0.25 c.f. (1 vol.)


Related records:


Series:
Cumberland County
Clerk's Office
Works Progress Administration Records, ca. 1936-ca. 1942
Control #:
CCUCL010
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 box)
Notes:
Contains internal correspondence, blank forms, and other WPA materials.

Series:
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)
Historic Structures Documentation, ca. 1940-1960
Control #:
FINNP001
Format:
1.5 c.f. (3 boxes)
Notes:
Includes post-WPA reports, photographs and drawings.

Series:
City of Absecon (Atlantic County)
Clerk's Office
Works Progress Administration Files, 1936-1941
Control #:
MABCL002
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 box)
Arrangement:
Chronological

Series:
Department of State
Division of the New Jersey State Museum
Photograph Collection, ca. 1917-1968
Control #:
SSTMU001
Format:
12 c.f. (24 boxes)
Arrangement:
Various
Notes:
Includes material from the WPA Museum Extension Project.


~ The collections listed on this page represent 463.65 c.f. of paper records and 30 reels of microfilm ~


To contact the New Jersey State Archives about research, reference services, records transfers or donations, please email us at njarchives@sos.nj.gov


For additional and/or more recent records relating to this topic, contact:


National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001, tel. 866-272-6272, website: www.archives.gov


This page last updated 05/17/2006