The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a Federal Agency created in 1935 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal to counter-act the Great Depression. The WPA collaborated with the Syracuse Public Library and Onondaga Historical Association to create the collection. The WPA provided the labor for the project, with the library and historical association providing the source material. The gathering of newspaper articles and creation of the card index were all done on-site.
The collection is a compiled card index of transcribed excerpts taken from newspaper files of the Syracuse Public Library and newspaper files from the Historical Scrap Books of the Onondaga Historical Association. The index covers the years 1806-1938. However, not all years are presented. The majority of the collection has been digitized into TIFF format and is available online.
The collection is divided into twelve main series. Most series are arranged in alphabetical order by name and/or subject, whenever possible.
Series 1: Attorneys - Judges - Justices of the Peace
This series contains newspaper items related to Attorneys, Judges, and Justices of the Peace for who resided in Syracuse and Onondaga County.
Series 2: Clergy
This series contains items related to Clergy who resided in Syracuse and Onondaga County. It includes clerical appointments, marriages and funeral officiation's performed by clergymen, as well as deaths of clergymen and their families.
Series 3: Common Council Proceedings - Work Sheets
The Syracuse Common Council is the legislative branch of city government. This series contains worksheets of Common Council proceedings that have been taken from newspaper clippings over the years. The proceedings cover a wide range of topics, including council meeting minutes, revenue statistics, audits, building proposals, and elections and appointments of the Council members. Worksheets are organized by date. The collection is arranged in chronological order, and covers the years 1806 - 1900. However, not all years are included.
Series 4: Deaths
This series contains items related to deaths of individuals associated with Syracuse and Onondaga County.
Series 5: Marriages
This series contains items related to marriages of individuals who resided in Syracuse, Onondaga County, and the surrounding areas.
Series 6: Persons Prominent
This series contains newspaper excerpts of births, marriages, deaths,and other miscellaneous facts related to prominent individuals associated with Syracuse and Onondaga County.
Series 7: Political Worksheets
This series contains newspaper items related to local, state, and national politics. Included is material related to elections and campaigns, political speeches and discourses, police reports, court proceedings, and miscellaneous items of political interest. The series is divided into four sections: General Political work sheets, Republican work sheets, Democrat work sheets, and Minor Parties work sheets. The series is arranged in chronological order, and covers the years 1806 - 1900. However, not all years are included.
Series 8: Onondaga County Board of Supervisors Worksheets
The Onondaga County Board of Supervisors was the governing entity for Onondaga County until 1961. This series contains newspaper excerpts related to the Board of Supervisors proceedings and includes board meeting minutes, elections and appointments, and excerpts related to the county penitentiary. The series is arranged in chronological order, and covers the years 1846-1898. However, not all years are included.
Series 9: Physicians
This series contains newspaper items for physicians who resided in Syracuse and Onondaga County. Included are biographical excerpts on local physicians, history of hospitals and medical schools, items related to local medical societies, and deaths of physicians and their spouses.
Series 10: Real Estate
This series is divide into two sections: Real estate subjects and real estate transfers. The subjects section contains biographical information related to individuals involved in Syracuse Real estate, as well information regarding prominent buildings, streets, and neighborhoods of the era. This section is organized in alphabetical order by subject. The transfers section contains information related to transfers of real estate between 1815 and 1900, and is organized in chronological order.
Series 11: Residents Early
This series contains biographical sketches, marriage and death information, and real estate assessment lists related to early residents of Syracuse and Onondaga County.
Series 12: Vital Statistics
This series contains birth information taken from newspapers for early residents of Onondaga county and Syracuse from the 1785 to 1860, Death information for residents of Onondaga County and Syracuse from 1814 to 1900, and vital statistics reports of births, marriages, and deaths recorded by the Syracuse City Registrar for the years 1889 and 1890.
Series 13: Subject Titles
This series contains information related to events, items, and entities of historical significance pertaining to Syracuse and Onondaga County, from 1806 to 1938. This series is organized in alphabetical order by subject.
The collection is arranged into series, and is organized in alphabetical order. Each series is comprised of one to several boxes, and is organized in alphabetical order by name and subject, as well as chronological order, when possible.
Patron must have a valid OCPL library card.
User must use materials in the Local History and Genealogy Department of
OCPL.
Permission must be obtained from staff for reproduction of any
materials.
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Works Progress Administration Files
Onondaga County Public
Library
Local History and Genealogy Department
Shelf Location: WPA Files
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a Federal Agency created in 1935 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal to counter-act the Great Depression. The WPA collaborated with the Syracuse Public Library and Onondaga Historical Association to create the collection. The WPA provided the labor for the project, with the library and historical association providing the source material. The gathering of newspaper articles and creation of the card index were all done on-site.