Creator: Work Projects Administration (RG 60).

Collection Summary: Working files of the source material on Mississippi History project, compiled by the State-Wide Work Projects Administration (WPA) Historical Research Project, 1935-1942.  The series consists of annotated typed and handwritten drafts of research projects, correspondence, and a small amount of related published literature.  In addition, the series includes bound volumes of finished county histories for eighteen counties, which are illustrated with black and white photoprints; a bound history of the Mississippi Federation of Women’s Clubs, Inc.; a bound history entitled A Hundred Years with Old Tishomingo Physicians, 1836-1936; a bound translation of volume two of Adams County Original Spanish Records, 1777-1802; and an index for Pontotoc County bound volume Part 2 and 3. Indexes for the bound volumes of Carroll, Lowndes, and Pike county are also available (see library holdings). Although many of the records are anecdotal and based on personal memory, the series is still a valuable research tool for Mississippi counties. The records have been boxed alphabetically by county.  Within each box they are foldered alphabetically by subject categories, which were assigned by the processing archivists. Due to this subject arrangement some lengthy projects were split up to fit into the subject categories, rather than maintaining the original order of the projects. The following subject categories are included: archaeology; architecture; agriculture; biography; business and industry; customs and folklore; education; flora and fauna; genealogy; all aspects of local history, including African-American, religious and military; topography; towns and communities; and a wide variety of general information on each county.

Access Restrictions: Due to their fragile condition, public access to the originals is limited.  Microfilm and microfiche use copies are provided for the public and are located in the Media Room. Exact microfilm copies are available for all county history volumes. Those counties without a finished bound volume have microfilm copies of the draft reports, except for Wilkinson and Sharkey counties. The microfilm copies were produced prior to the foldering of the draft originals by subject. Therefore, the microfilm content differs in arrangement from that of the originals. In addition, not all the material that exists for each county was filmed. The use of microfilm/fiche is always preferable, but it must be used in instances where an exact copy is available.

Date(s): 1935-1942.

Volume: 120.00 Cubic Feet.

Finding Aid Created By: Colby Cox in September 2024.

Related Materials: TBD.

Record Group History: The Works Projects Administration (WPA) was a federal program established on May 6th, 1935, in order to increase employment during the Great Depression. While the WPA was a federal program, it was implemented and managed on the state level with each state having their own director and office to guide the operation of the WPA for each state. The WPA was primarily focused on employing individuals for the purpose of creating public works and infrastructure, but a small portion of its funding was devoted to cultural and artistic endeavors which the files in this collection are primarily concerned with. Two of the major cultural projects the WPA undertook were the Federal Writers’ Project and the Historical Records Survey. The Federal Writers Project employed writers to create guides, histories, and chronicles for each state and the Historical Records Survey sought to catalogue the historical records of each state.

Collection Inventory:
Box Content Box Number
Adams County (agriculture - bibliography)10626
Adams County (biographies and cemeteries)10627
Adams County (churches - court records)10628
Adams County (court records - flora)10629
Adams County (formation - historic homes)10630
Adams County (historic homes)10631
Adams County (historical societies - information general)10632
Adams County (institutions - Natchez)10633
Adams County (Natchez - steamboat arrivals)10634
Adams County (steamboats - Yellow Fever)10635
Adams County, translation of Spanish [MF #1740]10412
Adams County, translation of original Spanish records (bound)10412
Alcorn County (agriculture - interviews on the Corinth Fire)10636
Alcorn County (land records - wars)10637
Alcorn County, Part 1, Volume 2 (bound) [MF # 3277]10412
Alcorn County, Part 2, Volume 2 (bound) [MF # 3277]10414
Amite County (Servicemen's Guide - wars)10643
Amite County (agriculture - court records)10638
Amite County (deeds and house descriptions - fauna)10640
Amite County (deeds and house descriptions)10639
Amite County (flora - industry)10641
Amite County (information in general - Reconstruction)10642
Amite County, Part 1, Volume 3 (bound) [MF # 3450]10414
Amite County, Part 2, Volume 3 (bound) [MF # 3450]10416
Amite County, Part 3, Volume 3 (bound) [MF # 3450]10416
Attala County (agriculture - formation)10644
Attala County (health - topography)10645
Attala County (towns - wars)10646
Attala County, Part 1, Volume 4 (bound) [MF # 1020]10418
Attala County, Part 2, Volume 4 (bound) [MF # 1020]10418
Benton County (Indians - wars)10648
Benton County (agriculture - historic homes)10647
Bolivar County (Indian Mounds - towns) [microfiche # 239]10651
Bolivar County (agriculture - Chinese) [microfiche # 237]10649
Bolivar County (churches - history) [microfiche # 238]10650
Bolivar County (towns - wars) [microfiche # 240]10652
Calhoun County (agriculture - interviews)10653
Calhoun County (leaders - wars)10654
Calhoun County, Volume 7 (bound) [MF # 1382]10420
Carroll County (agriculture - formation)10655
Carroll County (formation - press)10656
Carroll County (racial incidents - wars)10657
Carroll County, Part 1, Volume 8 (bound) [MF # 1109]10420
Carroll County, Part 2, Volume 8 (bound) [MF # 1109]10422
Chickasaw County (Indians - wars)10659
Chickasaw County (agriculture - historic homes)10658
Choctaw County (agriculture - physicians)10660
Choctaw County (press - wars)10661
Claiborne County (Port Gibson - towns)10667
Claiborne County (agriculture - antiques)10662
Claiborne County (arts - correspondence)10663
Claiborne County (deeds and house descriptions - fauna)10665
Claiborne County (deeds)10664
Claiborne County (flora - pioneers)10666
Claiborne County (transportation - wars)10668
Clarke County (agriculture - information)10669
Clarke County (industry - water resources)10670
Clay County (Reconstruction - wars)10673
Clay County (agriculture - flora)10671
Clay County (formation - press)10672
Coahoma County (agriculture - bar)10674
Coahoma County (biographies - court records)10675
Coahoma County (early settlements - industry)10676
Coahoma County (information in general - pioneers)10677
Coahoma County (press - towns)10678
Coahoma County (towns - wars)10679
Copiah County (agriculture - Negro)10680
Copiah County (officials - wars)10681
Covington County (agriculture - education)10682
Covington County (fauna - outlaw days)10683
Covington County (physicians - wars)10684
DeSoto County (agriculture - Indians)10685
DeSoto County (industry - wars)10686
DeSoto County, Volume 17 (bound) [MF # 3477]10422
Forrest County (Negro - wars)10689
Forrest County (agriculture - flora)10687
Forrest County (formation - nationalities)10688
Forrest County, Part 1, Volume 18 (bound, 1st copy) [MF # 4312]10424
Forrest County, Part 1, Volume 18 (bound, 2nd + 3rd copy) [MF # 4312]10426
Forrest County, Volume 18, Part 2 (bound, 3 copies) [MF # 4312]10427
Franklin County (Negro - wars)10691
Franklin County (agriculture - industry)10690
George County (agriculture - wars)10692
Greene County (agriculture - wars)10693
Grenada County (agriculture - information in general)10694
Grenada County (leaders - wars)10695
Grenada County, Volume 22 (bound) [MF # 3432]10424
Hancock County (Indians - wars)10697
Hancock County (agriculture - history)10696
Harrison County (Military Area Guides - press)10701
Harrison County (Reconstruction - wars)10702
Harrison County (agriculture - biographies)10698
Harrison County (cemeteries - Indians)10699
Harrison County (industry - Mennonites)10700
Hinds County (Capitol, New and Old)10706
Hinds County (Capitol, New)10705
Hinds County (agriculture - bar)10703
Hinds County (bibliography - Capitol, New)10704
Hinds County (burial plot plans -oversize)10618
Hinds County (cemeteries - education)10707
Hinds County (education - industry)10708
Hinds County (industry - music)10709
Hinds County (nationalities - settlements)10710
Hinds County (soils and minerals - WPA units)10711
Holmes County (agriculture - Negro)10712
Holmes County (officials - wars)10713
Humphreys County (agriculture - health)10714
Humphreys County (Indians - wars)10715
Issaquena County (churches - wars)10716
Itawamba County (agriculture - wars)10717
Jackson County (agriculture - flora)10718
Jackson County (formation - Pascagoula)10719
Jackson County (pioneers - wars)10720
Jackson County, Volume 30 (bound) [MF # 2328]10429
Jasper County (agriculture - information in general)10721
Jasper County (interviews - wars)10722
Jefferson County (agriculture - courts)10723
Jefferson County (deeds - leaders)10724
Jefferson County (organizations - wars)10725
Jefferson County, Part 1, Volume 32 (bound) [MF # 4671]10430
Jefferson County, Part 2, Volume 32 (bound) [MF # 4671]10430
Jefferson Davis County (agriculture - wars)10726
Jones County (agriculture - Indians)10727
Jones County (industry - outlaw days)10728
Jones County (press - wars)10729
Kemper County (agriculture - early settlements)10730
Kemper County (education - information in general)10731
Kemper County (interviews - wars)10732
Lafayette County (agriculture - industry)10733
Lafayette County (information in general - wars)10734
Lamar County (agriculture - industry)10735
Lamar County (information in general - wars)10736
Lauderdale County (agriculture - arts)10737
Lauderdale County (bar - fauna)10738
Lauderdale County (flora - information in general)10739
Lauderdale County (interviews - topography)10740
Lauderdale County (towns - wars)10741
Lawrence County (agriculture - nomenclature)10742
Lawrence County (officials - wars)10743
Lawrence County, Volume 39 (bound) [MF # 2571]10432
Leake County (agriculture - wars)10744
Leake County, Volume 40 (bound) [MF # 1487]10432
Lee County (agriculture - Cyclone of 1936)10745
Lee County (early settlements - information in general)10746
Lee County (leaders - wars)10747
Leflore County (agriculture - collections, private)10748
Leflore County (early settlements - health)10749
Leflore County (history - pioneers)10750
Leflore County (press - wars)10751
Lincoln County (agriculture - formation)10752
Lincoln County (health - wars)10753
Lowndes County (agriculture - Columbus) [microfiche # 342]10754
Lowndes County (correspondence - leaders) [microfiche # 343]10755
Lowndes County (nationalities - wars) [microfiche # 344]10756
Lowndes County, Part 1, Volume 44 (bound) [MF # 1190]10434
Lowndes County, Part 2, Volume 44 (bound) [MF # 1190]10434
Madison County (Negro - wars)10760
Madison County (agriculture - antebellum and historic homes)10757
Madison County (arts - Chapel of the Cross)10758
Madison County (churches - leaders)10759
Marion County (agriculture - industry)10761
Marion County (interviews - wars)10762
Marshall County (Holly Springs)10765
Marshall County (agriculture - arts)10763
Marshall County (bar - history)10764
Marshall County (industry - press)10766
Marshall County (press - wars)10767
Miss. Federation of Women's Clubs, Inc. (bound history of) [MF # 3878]10448
Monroe County (agriculture - information in general)10768
Monroe County (interviews - wars)10769
Montgomery County (agriculture - information in general)10770
Montgomery County (interviews - Winona)10771
Montgomery County, Volume 49 (bound, 2 copies) [MF # 155]10436
Neshoba County (agriculture - education)10772
Neshoba County (fauna - industry)10773
Neshoba County (information in general - wars)10774
Newton County (Indians - wars)10776
Newton County (agriculture - history)10775
Newton County (dairy show posters - oversize)10618
Noxubee County (agriculture - education)10777
Noxubee County (fauna - pioneers)10778
Noxubee County (press - wars)10779
Noxubee County, Part 1, Volume 52 (bound) [MF # 2263]10437
Noxubee County, Part 2, Volume 52 (bound) [MF # 2263]10437
Oktibbeha County (agriculture - churches)10780
Oktibbeha County (correspondence - Indians)10781
Oktibbeha County (industry - pioneers)10782
Oktibbeha County (press - wars)10783
Panola County (agriculture - information in general)10784
Panola County (interviews - wars)10785
Pearl River County (agriculture - county records)10786
Pearl River County (education - formation)10787
Pearl River County (health - organizations)10788
Pearl River County (outlaw days - towns)10789
Pearl River County (towns - wars)10790
Perry County (Indians - wars)10792
Perry County (agriculture - history)10791
Pike County (agriculture - education)10793
Pike County (blue print of T.B. cottage - oversize)10618
Pike County (blue print of milk and wash room - oversize)10618
Pike County (epitaphs - Negro)10794
Pike County (nomenclature - wars)10795
Pike County (psychometric chart, McComb - oversize)10618
Pike County (sanitation map of Algiers, McComb - oversize)10618
Pike County, Volume 57 (bound) [MF # 2090]10439
Pontotoc County (Ruby Elizy - interviews)10798
Pontotoc County (agriculture - bar)10796
Pontotoc County (biographies - education)10797
Pontotoc County (leaders - press)10799
Pontotoc County (races - wars)10800
Pontotoc County, Part 1, Volume  58 (bound) [MF # 4369]10439
Pontotoc County, Part 2, Volume  58 (bound) [MF # 4369]10441
Pontotoc County, Part 3, Volume  58 (bound) [MF # 4369]10441
Pontotoc County, index to Part 2 & 3 Volume 58 (bound) [MF #4369]10443
Pontotoc County, index to Part 3, Volume 58 (bound) [MF 4369]10443
Prentiss County (agriculture - information in general)10801
Prentiss County (interviews - wars)10802
Quitman County (agriculture - wars)10803
Quitman County, Volume 60 (bound) [MF # 3104]10443
Rankin County (agriculture - flora) [microfiche # 392]10804
Rankin County (formation - settlements) [microfiche # 393]10805
Rankin County (sketches of cemeteries - wars)[fiche # 394]10806
Scott County (agriculture - wars)10807
Sharkey County (early settlers - wars)10808
Simpson County (Indians - wars) [microfiche # 398]10810
Simpson County (agriculture - health) [microfiche # 397]10809
Smith County (Sullivan's Hollow - wars)10812
Smith County (agriculture - soils)10811
Smith County, Volume 65 (bound)  [MF # 566]10446
Stone County (agriculture - wars)10813
Sunflower County (agriculture - interviews) [microfiche # 402]10814
Sunflower County (leaders - wars) [microfiche # 403]10815
Tallahatchie County (agriculture - flora)10816
Tallahatchie County (formation - summary)10817
Tallahatchie County (topography - wars)10818
Tate County (agriculture - flora)10819
Tate County (formation - wars)10820
Tippah County (agriculture - fauna)10821
Tippah County (flora - transportation)10822
Tippah County (veterans - wars)10823
Tishomingo County (Negro - wars)10826
Tishomingo County (agriculture - fauna)10824
Tishomingo County (flora - leaders)10825
Tishomingo County (map showing location of schools - oversize)10618
Tishomingo Physicians (bound history) [MF # 232]]10448
Tunica County (agriculture - flora)10827
Tunica County (formation - press)10828
Tunica County (races - wars)10829
Union County (agriculture - education)10830
Union County (fauna - New Albany)10831
Union County (outlaw days - wars)10832
Walthall County (agriculture - wars)10833
Warren County (Serviceman's Guide to Hattiesburg - oversize)10619
Warren County (Servicemen's Guide - Vicksburg)10837
Warren County (Vicksburg - wars)10838
Warren County (Vicksburg Military Park brochure - oversize)10619
Warren County (Vicksburg siege descendents newsletter - oversize)10619
Warren County (Vicksburg tourist brochure #1 - oversize)10619
Warren County (Vicksburg tourist brochure #2 - oversize)10619
Warren County (advertisements - bodies of water)10834
Warren County (churches - Indians)10835
Warren County (industry - Reconstruction)10836
Washington County (Negro - wars)10841
Washington County (Young China Pictorial newspaper - oversize)10619
Washington County (agriculture - fauna)10839
Washington County (flora - monuments and landmarks)10840
Washington County (promotional brochure #1 - oversize)10619
Washington County (promotional brochure #2 - oversize)10619
Wayne County (agriculture - formation)10842
Wayne County (health - outlaw days)10843
Wayne County (press - wars)10844
Webster County (agriculture - Indians)10845
Webster County (industry - wars)10846
Wilkinson County (Negro - Woodville)10849
Wilkinson County (agriculture - churches)10847
Wilkinson County (deeds - information in general)10848
Winston County (agriculture - information in general)10850
Winston County (interviews - wars)10851
Yalobusha County (Negro - Water Valley)10853
Yalobusha County (agriculture - libraries)10852
Yazoo County (antebellum & historic homes - Yazoo City) [fiche #442]10854