Treasure Hunt - Using the WPA/HRS Index
In my last post titled "Even More Riches - Even More Local", I described how document descriptions at the Baltimore City Archives are being entered into the Guide to Government Records at the Maryland State Archives website. But how can genealogists uncover their own riches?
The answer is in the WPA/HRS Index with over 300,000 names – that is a plethora! The same 1930s workers who individually numbered every historical document created index cards for each unique name encountered in those documents.
Until recently, the WPA/HRS Index existed only on paper – in drawers and drawers of 3x5 cards:
The cards have now been scanned and the front end of the alphabet is available online - so if your ancestor's surname is found in letter A through Marchant, you're ready to try this now.
(If your name is later in the alphabet, keep checking the link in Step 1. And/or you can email the BCA staff at ref@baltimorecityarchives.net to let them know you're interested in seeing the rest of the alphabet at their earliest convenience.)
Here’s a real example of how this works – my research on John G. Buck, work undertaken for a client (who graciously agreed to share.)
Step 1. Access the Index to determine HRS number.
Open the WPA Historical Records Survey Name Index (BRG76-3) at:
http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewDetailedSeries&ID=BRG76-3
To research John G. Buck, we scroll down to this line:
http://mdhistory.net/bca_brg76_3/bca1250b/html/bca1250b-0001.html
In the top right hand corner of the page, there are two options for navigation. 
John G. Buck is found here, at image number 357 in this stack:
http://mdhistory.net/bca_brg76_3/bca1250b/html/bca1250b-0357.html
Make note of both the year of the document and the HRS document number in parentheses.
Step 2. Translate the HRS number in parentheses to the current Record Group number.
The documents were individually numbered within each year in the 1930s and were, for a time, physically arranged that way. In 1982, however, they were re-grouped in more traditional series, and physically re-arranged. The HRS numbers were retained, though, and remain on the documents and recorded on the folders.
Open the Baltimore City Archives Transcription Project (ebook) page.
http://mdhistory.net/bc_archives_wpa/wpa_rg/html/wpa_hrs_rg-0001.html
Navigation buttons are the same as the card index, but this is a short document, only 47 pages long.
Inside the ebook, look first for the year - 1883, in this example. Remember! The document numbers are not unique. There is a #399 for every year included in this system. After double-checking the year, look for the record group associated with that HRS number. The year 1883 is on page 34 (wpa_hrs_rg-0034) and the table points to RG 16 Series 1.
http://mdhistory.net/bc_archives_wpa/wpa_rg/html/wpa_hrs_rg-0034.html
Step 3. Go to the Baltimore City Archives website and submit a Research Appointment Request.
http://baltimorecityhistory.net/about-3/research-appointments/
Enter "RG 16, Series 1 – 1883, HRS #399” in the “Records to be Viewed” box.
Step 4. When your appointment is confirmed, come to the BCA and see the document!
Information on pre-registration, hours, and directions are all here.
After you arrive and complete the registration process, the staff will bring the box to you…inside - the folders include the year and the HRS number.
and a (first ever) look at his actual signature:
Ed