The WPA Guide to New York: The Empire State

During the 1930s in the United States, the Works Progress Administration developed the Federal Writers’ Project to support writers and artists while making a national effort to document the country’s shared history and culture. The American Guide series consists of individual guides to each of the states. Little-known authors—many of whom would later become celebrated literary figures—were commissioned to write these important books. John Steinbeck, Saul Bellow, Zora Neale Hurston, and Ralph Ellison are among the more than 6,000 writers, editors, historians, and researchers who documented this celebration of local histories. Photographs, drawings, driving tours, detailed descriptions of towns, and rich cultural details exhibit each state’s unique flavor.

The WPA Guide to New York provides a total of 45 excellent tours, taking the reader across the Empire State, from Niagara Falls and the Adirondacks to the five boroughs of New York City. In addition to the nation’s center for culture and industry, New York also contains rich Native American, Revolutionary, and immigration history—all detailed in this diverse guide for a diverse state.