Materials relating to the WPA project completed ca. 1941, embracing topics such as natural resources, counties, towns, folklore and old stories, Indians, government, courts, institutions, industry, agriculture, crime, and famous persons of Tennessee. Part of the material was to be used for an encyclopedia to be called Tennessee factbook, and part was to be used for a book (untitled) on the Wilderness Road. Neither book was published. Most of the material intended for Tennessee factbook is indexed. There are 322 biographical sketches with an index and 10 more sketches scattered throughout the collection. The material on counties is preceded by an index and contains a historical sketch and statistical chart of each county. The material on cities and towns follows the same scheme. Material on famous homes, schools, and colleges contains sketches of 86 educational institutions and 141 homes. There is an index to material on Tennessee state government offices, departments, and commissions, as well as indexes for the following subjects: hospitals and institutions; fortresses and forts; mountains; lakes and rivers; falls and cascades; forests and parks; caves; bluffs, bridges, and rocks; game and fish preserves and hatcheries; cemeteries and markers; churches; points of interest; Indian cemeteries and mounds; inns and taverns; museums; famous trees; springs and wells; traces, trails, streets, etc.; sports and recreation; transportation; airports; daily papers; dams; and broadcasting stations. Two boxes of materials on the Wilderness Road, its personalities, and landmarks are unindexed, as are materials on folklore, place names, and Indians.
