Some Background Information on The American Guide Series

One of the best known, and perhaps least understood, series titles is The American Guide Series which was produced under the direction of the Federal Writer's Project, an agency of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The impact of this program sent some 6,000 Depression-era authors out across the country to record anything of interest. Referring to this effort the poet, W. H. Auden, called it "one of the noblest and most absurd undertakings ever attempted by a [government]." Many collectors choose to limit the meaning of "American Guide Series" to just those tour guides which were published on the 48 contiguous states plus Alaska, Puerto Rico, New York City and Washington, D.C. However, the Federal Writer's Project used the term to apply to many more titles in the series. Indeed a huge collection of articles, monographs and books were published on many facets of American life. This diversity included topics of history, folklore, nature, national parks, communities, highways, rivers, islands and growing vegetables. In most cases in exchange for the fees and stipends received by the authors they had to remain anonymous allowing the WPA and the Federal Writer's Project to take authorial credit. The list that follows represents only a small sampling of the books in the series.

© 2001 Town's End Books

Titles in The American Guide Series
Arranged alphabetically by title.

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Cincinnati A Guide to the Queen City and Its Neighbors by: WPA, First Edition Published by: The Wiesen-Hart Press in Cincinnati: 1943. Near fine in dark red, ribbed cloth covered boards with gilt text stampings and decorations on the spine and front board with map front end papers. In a good, first state, unclipped dust jacket with 1/2" deep chips across the upper edge of the spine area, and numerous small chips around the edges of the panels. 570 pages including an index, appedices, and eight sections of black and white photographs. The 27th volume in the American state Guide Series. This is the first state binding and quite uncommon especially in its issued, first state dust jacket. It is one of the last WPA guides to be published. TB23987 $150.00

Colorado A Guide To The Highest State by: WPA, First Edition Published by: Hastings House in New York: 1941. Near fine in pink buckram with brown text with a dated gift inscription on the second free end page with map end sheets. In a very good+ dust jacket with the price intact on the front flap with very light rubbing and wear to the ends of the spine area which also shows spots of foxing. One of the American Guide Series with no rear map called for. 511 pages including an index, appedices, and with eight sections of black and white photographs, maps and with map end papers. A very presentable, clean and tight copy. TB24066 $85.00

Connecticut A Guide to its Roads, Lore and People by: WPA, First Edition Published by: Houghton Mifflin Company in Boston: 1938. Very good in red cloth covered boards with the cloth on the spine faded. Missing it issued dust jacket. The rear end paper of the book has a pocket within which should be a multi-color map of the state. Unfortunately, this map is missing. 593 pages including an index, chronology and photographs. TB23599 $40.00

Roll over Image to expand The Connecticut Guide What To See And Where To Find It by: Edgar L. Heermance (Compiler) , Second Printing of June, 1935 Published by: Emergency Relief Commission in Hartford: 1935. Very good in heavy blue-green printed paper wraps in a perfect format binding with map front end papers. The spine area is well tanned and worn at its ends and the front and rear panels are moderately soiled. There is a prior owner's name neatly written on the second free end paper. A small octavo measuring 8 7/16" tall by 5 1/4" deep containing 320 pages including an index. Without a dust jacket as issued. As recognized in Jerre Mangione's study of the WPA's Federal Writer's Project on page 46, The Connecticut Guide What to See And Where To Find It "helped to clinch the plan of preparing a series of state guides that could employ the services of researchers and all kinds of writers." "Although The Connecticut Guide fell short of the standards that were later" to be established for "the American Guide Series, it did provide the model for WPA's series. This guide is also recognized in the American Guide Series volume for Connecticut as the "predecessor and inspiration" for the series. TB19014 $40.00

Roll over Image to expand Death Valley A Guide by: WPA, Early reprint Published by: Houghton Mifflin in Boston: 1939. Fine in light red cloth covered boards with black text on the front panel and spine. In a very good unclipped dust jacket with a long, closed tear to the front panel and light rubbing to the ends of the spine area. This volume was written and compiled by the Federal Writers' Project of the WPA of Northern California and is part of the American Guide Series. 75 pages with index and a fold-out, double-sided map at the rear end paper. TB21023 $40.00

Florida A Guide to the Southernmost State by: WPA, Second Printing of November, 1940 Published by: Oxford University Press in New York: 1939. Very good- in light blue cloth covered boards with dark blue text and decorations on the spine and on the front board. The front end papers are illustrated with a highway map of the state and the front hinge is a bit weak and there is a prior owner's name in pencil and a date of 1942 at the upper edge of the verso of first free end page. In a good, unclipped dust jacket with a 2" deep chip from the lower edge of the spine area and with heavy wear to the folds. One of the volumes in The American Guide Series which has become rather difficult to locate. 600 pages including an index, appendices, chronology of the state, text and illustrated with eight sections of black and white photographs, maps and with the color fold-out map in place in the rear pocket. TB24150 $90.00

Roll over Image to expand Here's New England by: WPA, First Edition Published by: Houghton Mifflin in Boston: 1939. Fine in decorated bright red cloth covered boards with a gift inscription on the first free end page. Page 68 contains a few lines of underlining in red ink. In a very good unclipped dust jacket with 1/4" deep chipping across the upper edge of the spine area and with modest rubbing and wear to the lower edge of the same. 122 pages including an index and illustrated with maps and two sections of black and white photographs. TB20551 $50.00

Illinois A Descriptive and Historical Guide by: WPA, Reprint Published by: A. C. McClurg & Co. in Chicago: 1939. Poor in dark red buckram cloth covered boards with faded gilt text and decorations on the spine and front board. The cloth is well worn and soiled and the text block has parted at the first and second signatures. Missing it issued dust jacket. One of the volumes in the American Guide Series. 707 pages with index, list of Congressional Medal of Honor winners, chronology, bibliography, tours, 8 sections of photographs and the colored map laid-in at the rear end pocket. TB16228 $24.50

Roll over Image to expand Iowa A Guide to the Hawkeye State by: WPA, First Edition Published by: The Viking Press in New York: 1938. Very near fine in green buckram covered boards with gilt text stampings on the spine. The end papers show considerable foxing (probably a result of the paper's reaction with the glue used in binding), the edges of the text block are foxed and there is a note from a prior owner on the first free end page. In a good price clipped dust jacket with 1/3" deep chipping across the ends of the spine area and with rubbing to the folds. 583 pages including an index, bibliography, chronology, text and with maps and black and white photographs throughout and with the fold-out, multi-color map at the rear of the book in a pocket which is in excellent condtion. An uncommon early title in the WPA's American Guide series. TB19620 $100.00

Michigan A Guide to the Wolverine State by: WPA, Seventh Printing of 1956 Published by: Oxford University Press in New York: 1941. Very good in light blue cloth covered boards with dark blue text on the spine and front board and with map end sheets. A small octavo measuring 8" by 5" with a prior owner's book plate on the verso of the fly title page. In a good, unclipped dust jacket with the upper 2" of the spine area missing and several chips from the corners of the panels. 696 pages including an index, the 1940 census figures for the state, bibliography, chronology, text and 8 sections of black and white photographs and with 12 maps within the body of the text. TB24149 $30.00

Monterey Peninsula by: WPA, First Edition Published by: Sponsored by California State Dept. of Education in Stanford: 1941. Very good+ in light green cloth covered boards with brown text on the spine and with a brown illustration on the front board. The spine is very slightly faded and lightly soiled. There is a prior owner's name in pencil on the front end paper. Without its issued dust jacket. 207 pages consisting of an index, bibliography, Glossary of Spanish names and words, a chronology of the Monterey Peninsula, text and illustrated with maps and numerous black and white photographs. TB17039 $50.00

New York Learns A Guide to The Educational Facilities of the Metropolis by: WPA, First Edition Published by: M. Barrows & Co. in New York: 1939. Very good+ in tan cloth covered boards with blue text stamping on the spine and on the front board. There is what appears to be a small (1/2") narrow blood (?) stain at the upper edge of the front board and fly specking at the upper edge of the text block and the end papers a very mildly tanned. The binding is tight and all pages are present with no ownership marks or notations. A small 8vo measuring 7 1/2" high by 5 1/4" deep containing 302 pages including an index and text. Missing its issued dust jacket. One of the more unusual and uncommon volumes in the WPA's American Guide Series. TB17841 $87.50

Remembering America A Sampler of the WPA American Guide by: Archie Hobson, First Edition Published by: Columbia University Press in New York: 1985. Fine in brown cloth covered boards with gilt text stamping on the spine with a inked out prior owner's address label at the upper corner of the first free end paper. In a very near fine unclipped dust jacket with a tiny 1/8" closed tear at the upper edge of the rear panel at the fold to the spine area. An introduction by Bill Stott. A collection of just over 500 passages from the American Guide Series which were written by various authors for the WPA's project. 301 pages including an index TB17901 $24.50

Roll over Image to expand San Francisco The Bay and Its Cities by: WPA, Reprint of 1947 Published by: Hastings House in New York: 1940. An ex-library copy in very good+ condition in bright red cloth covered boards with gilt text stamping on the spine and the ghost of a library call label at the heel of the spine and missing its first free end page. On the copyright page there is a rubber stamped date and a "BRANCH" stamp. Otherwise there are no additional library notations, markings or pockets. Without its issued dust jacket. This volume was written and compiled by the Federal Writers' Project of the WPA in Northern California and is one of the volumes in the American Guide Series. 531 pages with index, text and photographs through-out. TB20922 $45.00

Santa Barbara A Guide to the Channel City and Its Environs by: WPA, First Edition Published by: Hastings House in New York: 1941. An exlibrary copy which is in fair to good condition in light green cloth covered boards with with dark brown text with a newer library cloth spine applied with handwritten white text. There is a library pocket and date slip on the front end papers and the text from the front flap of the dust jacket tipped in at the first page of the text. Without its issued dust jacket. 206 pages including an index, chronology, bibliography, photographs with map end papers. TB18206 $30.00

Vermont A Guide to the Green Mountain State by: WPA, Reprint of the second revised and enlarged edition Published by: Houghton Mifflin Co. in Boston: 1966. An ex-library copy in very good condition in light green cloth covered boards with slight rubbing to the heel of the spine and with the typical library disfigurements within the book. Without its issued dust jacket. One of the volumes in the American Guide Series. 456 pages with index, text, black and white photographs through-out and a maps of the state on the front and rear end sheets. TB23327 $25.00

Virginia A Guide to the Old Dominion by: WPA, First Edition Published by: Oxford University Press in New York: 1940. Very near fine in light gray cloth covered boards with dark blue text on the spine and on the front board and map front end papers. A small octavo measuring 8" by 5 1/4". In a very good-, unclipped dust jacket with a narrow 1/3" deep chip at the upper left corner of the front panel, light wear and rubbing to the ends of the spine area and minor chips to the lower fore edges of the panels. 699 pages including an index, appendices and chronology. Illustrated with eight sections of black and white photographs and ten maps within the text. The rear pocket contains a fold-out, two-color map of the state on one side and a city street map for Richmond on the other. The map is in excellent, unblemished condition. [Brewer/Federal Writer's Project, 809; Dykes, 349; Powell, 1531] One of the more difficult volumes in the American Guide Series to locate in first edition in a collectible dust jacket. TB24089 $200.00

Roll over Image to expand Washington City and Capital by: WPA, First Edition Published by: U. S. Government Printing Office in Washington, DC: 1937. Very good in heavy black cloth covered boards with gilt text stamping on the spine and illustrated map end sheets. A thick small quarto measuring 9" by 6" with a small prior owner's book plate on the verso of the first free end page. Without its issued dust jacket. This was the second volume published in the American Guide Series and is quite scarce. 1,141 pages including an index, bibliography, chronology, text and illustrated with maps and black and white photographs throughout. With only one of the two multi-colored maps in the rear pocket. TB23723 $125.00

Roll over Image to expand Whaling Masters by: WPA, First Edition Published by: Old Dartmouth Historical Society in New Bedford: 1938. Near fine in dark green cloth covered boards with gilt text stamping on the spine and front board. With no names, dates or notations within the text block. In a very good+ dust jacket with the original $5.00 price intact on the front flap but with rubbing and wear to the ends of the spine area and a 1/4" deep chip 1/4" wide at the lower edge of the spine area at the fold to the front panel. One of the most difficult titles to obtain in the WPA's American Guide Series. 314 pages with 3 illustrations. The book provides the most complete directory of Whaling Captains, their ships and voyages from every whaling port in the US TB17875 $400.00

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