The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was created by Executive Order on May 6, 1935. The goal of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was to establish and maintain projects benefiting the public good in order to create work for citizens who were unemployed and on relief.
The WPA employed artists and funded programs that benefited culture and history. One such program was the Federal Writers Project. The New Jersey Historical Records Survey was a component of the Federal Writers Project. Though only operational for short time, this project collected and compiled marriage and death records, court dockets, indices of laws, board meeting minutes, and inventories of archival repositories from throughout New Jersey. In addition, the New Jersey WPA also conducted an analysis of the Agricultural Administration Act under the Historical Records Survey. While not directly related to the Historical Records Survey, the New Jersey Indian Site Survey was another project undertaken by the New Jersey WPA. From 1936 through 1941, the New Jersey WPA, in association with the Archeological Society of New Jersey, conducted archeological digs at various sites in New Jersey. The goal was to catalog, document and preserve aspects of American Indian daily life and culture.
From the description of New Jersey Works Progress Administration Records 1896-1943 (bulk 1936-1943). (Princeton University Library). WorldCat record id: 177444804
