WPA projects at country schools in rural Oklahoma

Question

Searching for info on WPA projects on out buildings at rural schools in NE Okla. specifically Aurora School, Fairland, OK in 1939.

Textual Reference Branch, Archives II · Answer

red23luna

Thank you for posting your question on History Hub!

This is in response to your request for information about Record Group (RG) 69, Records of the Work Projects Administration (WPA). Specifically, you are seeking information on WPA projects involving rural schools in Oklahoma

You'll want to look at the WPA Project Application Reference Cards, 1935 - 1942 to find out what projects operated in specific countries within specific states. These records are alphabetical by state, thereunder by county, and thereunder by municipality. These are the rolls that have Oklahoma on them. We've noted which counties are on which rolls and where they begin and end.

1935-1937: Ohio: Washington County - Oklahoma: Jackson County (1 of 4) (Oklahoma Area-Wide begins with Image 1083 to Beaver County) 
 1935-1937: Ohio: Washington County - Oklahoma: Jackson County (2 of 4) (Beaver County to Cotton County) 
 1935-1937: Ohio: Washington County - Oklahoma: Jackson County (3 of 4) (Cotton County to Hughes County) 
 1935-1937: Ohio: Washington County - Oklahoma: Jackson County (4 of 4) (Hughes County to Jackson County, ends with Image 32) 
 1935-1937: Oklahoma: Jackson County - Sequoyah County (1 of 3) (Jackson County to Marshall County) 
 1935-1937: Oklahoma: Jackson County - Sequoyah County (2 of 3) (Marshall County to Okmulgee County) 
 1935-1937: Oklahoma: Jackson County - Sequoyah County (3 of 3) (Okmulgee County to Sequoyah County) 
 1935-1937: Oklahoma: Sequoyah County - Pennsylvania: Allegheny County (1 of 4) (Sequoyah County to Woodward County, ends with Image 974) 
 
 1938: Ohio: Richland County - Pennsylvania: Lehigh County (1 of 4) (Oklahoma Area-Wide begins with Image 292 to Texas County) 
 1938: Ohio: Richland County - Pennsylvania: Lehigh County (2 of 4) (Texas to Woodward Counties, ends with Image 123)

1939-1942: Ohio: Athens County - Oregon: Union County (1 of 3) ( Oklahoma Area-Wide begins with Image 1212 to Bryan County) 
 1939-1942: Ohio: Athens County - Oregon: Union County (2 of 3) (Bryan to P ushmataha Counties ) 
 1939-1942: Ohio: Athens County - Oregon: Union County (3 of 3) (Pushmataha to Woodward Counties, ends with Image 371) 
 
 Should you wish to know more about these projects, we do have RG 69, A1 Entry 454 OK, Project Files, 1935 - 1942 . These files are not digitized and are only available on microfilm. 
 
 Before we proceed, a word about the WPA project records. The WPA project records mostly contain administrative forms and correspondence, as well as financial data. The WPA primarily provided funding and personnel for work desired by local agencies. The local agency was responsible for most of the planning and operation of the project. They would have kept most of the records about the project. Unfortunately, in the ensuing years many of these local agencies disposed of their records mistakenly believing that the federal government had copies of all those records. Additionally, there are a not-insignificant number of missing files among this microfilm. 
 
 If you do wish to see if there is additional information look in the upper righthand corner of each card to find the Official Project (O.P.) Number . It should start with some variation of 65, (65, 165, 365, etc) followed by a dash and then the code for the state of Oklahoma (also 65), followed by another dash and then a one to four digit number . Sometimes, single digit numbers can appear on either side of the state code (1-65 or 65-2, and so on). If you find any projects that interest you, you can send the numbers to us at the email address below and we can search RG 69, A1 Entry 454 OK, Project Files, 1935 - 1942 for any additional files. 
 
 We can arrange to copy those microfilm rolls into a digital format for you. This will cost $125 per roll and can be done as either scans burnt to a disc or scans sent via electronic file transfer. If you are interested in receiving a reproduction quote, use the email address provided below. Please include a full mailing address and a phone number. You would not be under any obligation to purchase the reproductions. Our current turnaround time for copies is 90 to 120 days.

We will be happy to make the records available to you or your representative in the Textual Research Room (Room 2000) here at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. Please visit our website for information about visiting the National Archives in College Park, MD , including how to schedule a research visit. 
 
 We invite you to continue the conversation with community members on History Hub, but should you have follow up questions for the staff at Archives II, please email us at archives2reference@nara.gov so that we can assist you further.

We hope this assists you with your research! 
 
 Sincerely, 
 
 Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RR2RR) 
 [RR2RR 24-23551-GM]