Rhode Island: A Guide To The Smallest State - Historical Guide

In this review the reviewer examines Rhode Island: A Guide To The Smallest State as a compact but thorough historical reference produced by the Federal Writers' Project under the Works Progress Administration. This edition is aimed at readers who want an authoritative, contemporaneous overview of Rhode Island during the New Deal era, and the single biggest reason to buy is its status as a preserved piece of the American Guide Series and a primary example of 1930s federal cultural work. The book is most valuable for local history collections, researchers and readers seeking period perspective rather than modern travel tips.

Key Features

• Contemporaneous scholarship: Compiled during the 1930s, the guide offers first-hand perspectives and research reflective of the Works Progress Administration's extensive survey effort.
• Comprehensive state coverage: The volume assembles cultural, historical and geographic information about Rhode Island that together form a wide-ranging portrait useful for researchers and enthusiasts.
• Series significance: As one of the American Guide Series, this book represents a coordinated federal publishing project and is historically important in the study of New Deal programs.
• Reference value: Libraries and collectors will find the guide a necessary resource for a complete Rhode Island collection and for tracing local historical narratives.
• Preserved perspective: The guide preserves language and attitudes of its time, which is valuable for understanding period context even when modern interpretation changes.

Who It's For

Collectors of historical Americana, librarians building state and local collections, and historians of the New Deal era will benefit most from this guide because it represents primary material from the Federal Writers' Project and the Works Progress Administration. Readers seeking original 1930s research and the structure of the American Guide Series will find this volume particularly useful.

Casual travelers or readers expecting contemporary travel recommendations should look elsewhere; the guide's value is historical and documentary rather than as an up-to-date travel planner. Those needing recent demographic or business information will need supplemental modern sources.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Provides authentic, period-specific research compiled by the Federal Writers' Project, making it a reliable historical source.
• Acts as a cornerstone item for any Rhode Island or state-and-local history collection because of its series pedigree.
• Collectible and educational, useful for academic study of New Deal cultural programs and regional history.

Cons

• Information is dated to the 1930s and not suitable as a current travel or demographic guide.

Specifications

Title	Rhode Island: A Guide To The Smallest State
Series	American Guide Series
Produced by	Federal Writers' Project, Works Progress Administration
Era	Great Depression / 1930s research
Intended use	Historical reference and state/local collection

Our Verdict

Rhode Island: A Guide To The Smallest State is a tightly focused historical volume that belongs in any serious Rhode Island library or New Deal collection. Its value lies in original, WPA-era research and the context it preserves; buy it if you need primary-source state history or a representative American Guide Series title, but not if you want contemporary travel or statistical information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book a modern travel guide?
No. The guide reflects 1930s research and perspective and is intended as a historical reference rather than a current travel planner.

Who produced this guide?
The volume was produced by the Federal Writers' Project under the Works Progress Administration as part of the American Guide Series.

Is this suitable for library collections?
Yes. It is recommended for public and academic libraries building state and local history collections or New Deal era resources.