American Guide Series - A Waymarking.com Category

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American Guide Series

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Description:: During the Depression, the federal government employed writers in the Writers' Program of the Works Projects Administration (WPA) to compile the first comprehensive guidebooks to the United States, the American Guide Series. Guides were published for the 48 states, Alaska, and countless cities. This category is for waymarking places referred to in the series.

Expanded Description:

The American Guide Series was published in the 1930s-1940s, long before photography was easy to obtain and publish, so the books relied heavily on prose to describe America. Some of the best 20th-century writers, including Saul Bellows, Richard Wright, Studs Terkel and John Cheever, contributed to the Series. Most of the writing is surprisingly lyrical.

Each volume began with a lengthy background of history, art, architecture, economy, environment, racial relations and social life. Then the cities of the state were detailed, followed by driving tours down the US Highways across the state, from US 1 to US 90.

Most of the volumes are available on-line. If you are not able to locate a particular email BruceS, one of the category officers, he maintains a list of available guides

This category's goal is to find and waymark places referenced in the American Guide Series, transcribe the entry from the Guide Series, and tell how the place differs now (if it still exists).

Instructions for Posting a American Guide Series Waymark:

The place must be referenced in one of the 320 books in the American Guide Series. Anyplace -- a hospital, prison, mission, Indian mound, neighborhood, or city --referenced in the Guides may be waymarked.

To choose which co-ordinates to use, you may have to use the maps in the Guides to reconstruct the old roadway routes. Put the waymark where the Guides put the place, which is usually at a specific mile marker or intersection.

Please follow the name of the waymark by the state. If you'd like to add the city or county, that's fine. Write whatever you'd like in the Short Description.

The Long Description should begin with the excerpt from the Guide that describes the place you're waymarking. To ensure a consistent format, italicize the excerpt, and follow with the name and year of original publication, i.e. "--- Texas A Guide to the Lone Star State, 1940"

After the excerpt, use whatever you would like to describe what the place is like now, how it is different than it was when the Guide was published. You may do this with either text or photographs, or both, but this work must be original (in other words created by you).

At least one original photograph of the place being waymarked must be in the gallery.

Instructions for Visiting a Waymark in this Category:

To log a Visit, please make every effort to supply an original image of the Waymark.

If you do not have the option to provide an image, please provide a detailed description of your visit so we can form a 'mental image'.

Category Settings:

Waymarks can be added to this category
New waymarks of this category are reviewed by the category group prior to being published
Category is visible in the directory

Variables:

Book
Page Number(s) of Excerpt
Year Originally Published

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Currently displaying American Guide Series

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view gallery	Valley Creek - Valley Forge, PA in American Guide Series The creek flows through Valley Forge, under the Knox Covered Bridge and other place as well. It provides beautiful vistas and has great historical significance with regards to 18th century commerce, industry and trade. posted by: Math Teacher location: Pennsylvania date approved: 5/14/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Knox Covered Bridge - Valley Forge National Park - Wayne, PA in American Guide Series This mid-19th century bridge was constructed by Robert Russell using a Burr Arch Truss and wooden planks, which are still in good shape today. Recently, it went under a rehabilitation by the National Park Service. posted by: Math Teacher location: Pennsylvania date approved: 5/14/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Oregon State Hospital Farm (site) - Salem, Oregon in American Guide Series Former farmland used as a work site for state hospital patients posted by: ddtfamily location: Oregon date approved: 5/13/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	John Woodman Higgins Armory - Worcester MA in American Guide Series Built in 1930 it was a modern marvel of its time and it is believed to be the first all steel and glass exterior building in the US. posted by: nomadwillie location: Massachusetts date approved: 5/12/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Mechanics Hall - Worcester, MA in American Guide Series A Renaissance Revival style building for classical perfomances in music. posted by: nomadwillie location: Massachusetts date approved: 5/10/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Dade Park - Henderson, KY in American Guide Series Former Dade Park, now Ellis Park, home of horse racing in western KY posted by: thegorilla23 location: Kentucky date approved: 5/9/2013 last visited: 5/9/2013
view gallery	Evansville-Henderson Bridge - Henderson, KY in American Guide Series Bridge over the Ohio River referenced in the WPA Guide to the Hoosier State posted by: thegorilla23 location: Kentucky date approved: 5/8/2013 last visited: 5/8/2013
view gallery	St Joseph's Memorial Chapel - Worcester MA in American Guide Series The stately St. Joseph Chapel (upper chapel) seats up to 900 people and houses the Taylor and Boody pipe organ and a grand piano. The stain glass windows are the hightlight when viewed inside. posted by: nomadwillie location: Massachusetts date approved: 5/8/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Site of Browning Hotel - Chillicothe, Missouri in American Guide Series Location of former hotel and tablet honoring an 19th century musician in Chillicothe, Missouri. posted by: BruceS location: Missouri date approved: 5/7/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Fenwick Hall - Worcester MA in American Guide Series The twin towers stand over the campus at College at Holy Cross and looks out to its city, Worcester, MA posted by: nomadwillie location: Massachusetts date approved: 5/6/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	The Mill Street Hotel (Three Tuns Tavern) - Mt. Holly, NJ in American Guide Series Located @ the intersection of Mill & Pine Streets, the Mill Street Tavern (also known as) is the oldest standing building in town. It has been a tavern & hotel since it opened in 1723. Be careful though, it's haunted! posted by: Math Teacher location: New Jersey date approved: 5/6/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Chillicothe Business College - Chillicohe, Missouri in American Guide Series Site of former Chillicothe Business College which had a long history in Chillicothe, Missouri. posted by: BruceS location: Missouri date approved: 5/6/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Simpson Park - Chillicothe, Missouri in American Guide Series Municipal park in Chillicothe, Missouri. posted by: BruceS location: Missouri date approved: 5/6/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Oregon Fairview Home (site) - Salem, Oregon in American Guide Series Guide references a former state facility for mentally-disabled persons posted by: ddtfamily location: Oregon date approved: 5/4/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Edinburg, Missouri in American Guide Series Small town just west of Trenton, birth place of World War I general Enoch Crowder. posted by: BruceS location: Missouri date approved: 5/4/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Crowder Memorial State Park - Trenton, Missouri in American Guide Series State park in north central Missouri near Trenton. posted by: BruceS location: Missouri date approved: 5/4/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Washington's Headquarters - Valley Forge, PA in American Guide Series Built prior to 1768, This house is in an excellent state of preservation. Today, the stone structure has the same doors, windows, locks as used by Washington when he stayed here in 1777-8. The house was eclared a National Historic Landmark in 1972. posted by: Math Teacher location: Pennsylvania date approved: 5/3/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch - Trenton, Missouri in American Guide Series World War I memorial arch at Moberly Park in Trenton, Missouri posted by: BruceS location: Missouri date approved: 5/3/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Moberly Park - Trenton, Missouri in American Guide Series Municipal park in Trenton, Missouri. posted by: BruceS location: Missouri date approved: 5/3/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Stirling's Quarters - Valley Forge, PA in American Guide Series Originally constructed in 1796 (probably earlier), & incrementally expanded through the early twentieth century, this building in its earliest form served as the headquarters of Lord Stirling during the Continental Army's winter encampment in 1777-8. posted by: Math Teacher location: Pennsylvania date approved: 5/1/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Old Whatcom County Courthouse — Bellingham, WA in American Guide Series The oldest brick building in Washington state served as the Whatcom County Courthouse in the late 19th century. posted by: Dunbar Loop location: Washington date approved: 5/1/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Chippewa City - Minnesota in American Guide Series Site of former Ojibwe community located east of Grand Marais, Minnesota. posted by: BruceS location: Minnesota date approved: 4/27/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Varnum's Quarters - Valley Forge, PA in American Guide Series Brigadier General James Mitchell Varnum arrived with his staff in December 1777. This arrival dramatically altered life in the Stephens house. Suddenly the three family members were sharing their home with seven strangers. posted by: Math Teacher location: Pennsylvania date approved: 4/26/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	South Carolina State Hospital - Columbia, South Carolina in American Guide Series Historic state hospital in Columbia, South Carolina. posted by: BruceS location: South Carolina date approved: 4/25/2013 last visited: never
view gallery	Governor's Mansion - Columbia, South Carolina in American Guide Series Historic house serving as the South Carolina Governor's mansion in Columbia, South Carolina. posted by: BruceS location: South Carolina date approved: 4/24/2013 last visited: never

American Guide Series - A Waymarking.com Category

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