Ohio Guide chapter heading - Lorain

This art deco style illustration for “Lorain” was used in The Ohio Guide. It depicts a large boat in the foreground and a dock and large bridge in the background. A signature of the artist “A. Koerbling” can also be seen. This illustration is a photographic reproduction of a drawing. It is one of a series produced as possible chapter headings for The Ohio Guide. From 1935 to 1942, the Works Progress Administration (WPA), through its Federal Writers' Project created The American Guide Series, which included forty-eight state guides, as well as supplemental guides for large cities, etc. The state guides are divided into three sections. In the first section are general essays about the state on things such as agriculture, culture, history, industry, religion, etc. The second section contains an overview of the various cities and towns around the state, as well as enumerating various points of interest. The last section is dedicated to various tours around the state. The tourist is taken from city to city, with turn by turn directions, and descriptions of what can be seen along the way. While much of the country has grown and changed since the guides were written, it is surprising how much remains, and sometimes more surprising what has been lost