As of 09/23/2008
Series 447: Historical Research Material. 1935-1942.
Work Projects Administration. Historical Records Survey (RG 60).
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).
All aspects of Missisippiana are represented in the source material. 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. A subject guide for the county histories is available; it may be requested at the Central Reference Desk.
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. An exact microfilm copy (MF 1740) is also available for the bound volume entitled “The Translation of Volume II The Original Spanish Records in Adams County, Mississippi, 1777-1802.” 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. However, exact microfiche copies, produced after the subject arrangement of the originals, are available for Bolivar, Lowndes, Rankin, Simpson, Sunflower and Yazoo counties. The use of microfilm/fiche is always preferable, but it must be used in instances were an exact copy is available.
Historical Note
The Historical Research Project began in Mississippi in February 1936 under the state direction of Susie V. Powell. The project was under the jurisdiction of the Division of Women’s and Professional Projects directed in Mississippi by Ethel Payne. At the state level the project was sponsored by The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) and in addition, co-sponsored by county boards of Supervisors, local county offices and boards of education, the Mississippi Forestry Commission, Mississippi Federation of Women’s Clubs, Daughters of the American Revolution, United Daughters of the Confederation, Spanish American War Veterans and Auxiliary, American Legion, and the Adjutant General of the National Guard. The project was coordinated from the main office in Jackson with units in each county.
The aim of the state-wide survey was to “gather data, compile it, revise it, and edit it into eighty-two county histories, one for each county in the state.” These “histories” were viewed as “source material,” which would “prove valuable for reference, and as a basis for further and more intensive research.” The content for the histories was described in assignments sent out from the Jackson office in Bulletins to the county Supervisors/Historians. Each assignment outlined in detail how to gather information for a particular chapter topic. Chapter topics included: formation; topography; soils and minerals; flora; fauna; Indians; Ante-bellum days; wars; reconstruction period; outlaw days; the Negro; folklore; religion and church history; education; agriculture; industry; transportation; arts; the bar; local press; health; organizations; professional and civic leaders; and an addenda for war rosters and statistics. The county staff created an initial manuscript for each chapter, which was sent to the main office for verification, editing and typing. The finished chapters, still in manuscript form, were bound into a volume together with maps, photographs and illustrations. MDAH retained one copy and an another was given to the county.
A March 1941 report by the Historical Records Survey (HRS) State Supervisor, Robert E. Strong, indicates that HRS was given “custody” of the Historic Research Project Source Material in February 1940. These records were moved to the HRS main office at which time they constituted “twenty-five file drawers.” In 1942, after HRS was disbanded, unpublished materials were deposited in MDAH.
| Adams County (Natchez - steamboat arrivals) | 10634 |
| 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 (steamboats - Yellow Fever) | 10635 |
| Adams County, translation of Spanish | Mf #1740 |
| 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 |
| Alcorn County, Part 2, Volume 2 (bound) | MF # 3277 |
| 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 |
| Amite County, Part 2, Volume 3 (bound) | MF # 3450 |
| Amite County, Part 3, Volume 3 (bound) | Mf # 3450 |
| Attala County (agriculture - formation) | 10644 |
| Attala County (health - topography) | 10645 |
| Attala County (towns - wars) | 10646 |
| Attala County, Part 1, Volume 4 (bound) | MF # 1020 |
| Attala County, Part 2, Volume 4 (bound) | MF # 1020 |
| Benton County (Indians - wars) | 10648 |
| Benton County (agriculture - historic homes) | 10647 |
| Bolivar County (Indian Mounds - towns) | microfiche # 239 |
| Bolivar County (agriculture - Chinese) | microfiche # 237 |
| Bolivar County (churches - history) | microfiche # 238 |
| Bolivar County (towns - wars) | microfiche # 240 |
| Calhoun County (agriculture - interviews) | 10653 |
| Calhoun County (leaders - wars) | 10654 |
| Calhoun County, Volume 7 (bound) | MF # 1382 |
| 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 |
| Carroll County, Part 2, Volume 8 (bound) | MF # 1109 |
| 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 |
| Forrest County (Negro - wars) | 10689 |
| Forrest County (agriculture - flora) | 10687 |
| Forrest County (formation - nationalities) | 10688 |
| Forrest County, Part 1, Volume 18 (bound, 1 copy) | MF # 4312 |
| Forrest County, Part 1, Volume 18 (bound, 2 copies) | MF # 4312 |
| Forrest County, Volume 18, Part 2 (bound, 3 copies) | MF # 4312 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Jefferson County, Part 2, Volume 32 (bound) | MF # 4671 |
| 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 |
| Leake County (agriculture - wars) | 10744 |
| Leake County, Volume 40 (bound) | MF # 1487 |
| 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 |
| Lowndes County (correspondence - leaders) | microfiche # 343 |
| Lowndes County (nationalities - wars) | microfiche # 344 |
| Lowndes County, Part 1, Volume 44 (bound) | MF # 1190 |
| Lowndes County, Part 2, Volume 44 (bound) | MF # 1190 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Noxubee County, Part 2, Volume 52 (bound) | MF # 2263 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Pontotoc County, Part 2, Volume 58 (bound) | MF # 4369 |
| Pontotoc County, Part 3, Volume 58 (bound) | MF # 4369 |
| Pontotoc County, index to Part 2 & 3 Volume 58 (bound) | MF #4369 |
| Pontotoc County, index to Part 3, Volume 58 (bound) | MF 4369 |
| Prentiss County (agriculture - information in general) | 10801 |
| Prentiss County (interviews - wars) | 10802 |
| Quitman County (agriculture - wars) | 10803 |
| Quitman County, Volume 60 (bound) | MF # 3104 |
| Rankin County (agriculture - flora) | microfiche # 392 |
| Rankin County (formation - settlements) | microfiche # 393 |
| Rankin County (sketches of cemeteries - wars) | [fiche # 394 |
| Scott County (agriculture - wars) | 10807 |
| Sharkey County (early settlers - wars) | 10808 |
| Simpson County (Indians - wars) | microfiche # 398 |
| Simpson County (agriculture - health) | microfiche # 397 |
| Smith County (Sullivan's Hollow - wars) | 10812 |
| Smith County (agriculture - soils) | 10811 |
| Smith County, Volume 65 (bound) MF # 566 |
| Stone County (agriculture - wars) | 10813 |
| Sunflower County (agriculture - interviews) | microfiche # 402 |
| Sunflower County (leaders - wars) | microfiche # 403 |
| 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] |
| 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) | microfiche #442 |
| Yazoo County (promotional brochure - oversize) | microfiche #442 |