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Title: State Historical Society. North Dakota Writers' Project, Geographical Place Names Files
Dates: ca. 1935-1942
Record Series: 30556
Quantity: 1 foot
Abstract: Series consists of questionnaires furnishing information on physical features such as rivers, lakes, creeks, buttes, hills, and mountains. Includes names and pronunciations, origins of names, locations, size, altitudes, and special characteristics. Some files contain notes and transcripts of local government records dealing with the history of significant physical features.
Provenance: The North Dakota State Archives acquired these records series through the auspices of the Historical Data Project, Professional and Service Division, Work Projects Administration, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota, ca.1936-1940.
Copyright: Public records are not subject to copyright restrictions, although record series may contain copyrighted material. Consideration of such copyrights is the responsibility of the author and publisher.
Access: These records are available for public inspection under provision of the North Dakota Century Code, 55-02.1-08.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite the record group, series name and number, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota in all footnote and bibliographic references.
HISTORICAL SKETCH
The North Dakota Writers’ Project began in 1935 and was sponsored by the Division of Women’s and Professional Projects, Works Progress Administration, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Many of the publications planned by the North Dakota Writers’ Project were never published. Three notable exceptions are:
North Dakota: A Guide to the Northern Prairie State, 1938
    A History of Richland County and the City of Wahpeton, North  Dakota, 1938 sponsored by the Wahpeton Park Committee
    A History of Bismarck, 1938 sponsored by the Bismarck  Association of Commerce
The North Dakota Writers’ Project gathered information for other proposed publications, including a history of grazing, a book on the origin of North Dakota place names, a folklore study, and a book entitled “America Eats.” Survey work of the North Dakota Writers’ Project ended in 1942.
Box / Folder Inventory
Box 106:
    35 Instructions
    36 Adams County
    37 Barnes County
    38 Benson County
    39 Billings County 
    40 Bottineau County 
    41 Bowman County 
    42 Burleigh County
    43 Burke County 
    44Cass County
    45 Cavalier County
    46 Dickey County
    47 Divide County
    48 Dunn County
    49 Eddy County
    50 Emmons County
    51 Foster County
    52 Golden Valley County
    53 Grand Forks County
    54 Grant County
    55 Griggs County
    56 Hettinger County
    57 Kidder County
    58 LaMoure County
    59 Logan County
    60 McHenry County
    61 McIntosh County
Box 107:
    1 McKenzie County
    2 McLean County
    3 Mercer County 
    4 Morton County
    5 Mountrail County
    6 Nelson County
    7 Oliver County
    8 Pembina County 
    9 Pierce County
    10 Ramsey County
    11 Ransom County
    12 Renville County
    13 Richland County
    14 Rolette County
    15 Sargent County
    16 Sheridan County
    17 Sioux County
    18 Slope County
    19 Stark County
    20 Steele County
    21 Stutsman County
    22 Towner County
    23 Traill County
    24 Walsh County
    25 Ward County
    26 Wells County
    27 Williams County 
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