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 Tim: You have a decision to make. Do you want to learn to do research or do you simply want a small number of specific questions answered? If its the latter then just post in forums here. If you want to do a bit...considerable honestly...research, then I suggest you fix on two or three areas to use as a prototype reference for your freelance line. Once you have an area in mind check to see if it has a county or municipal historical society? Likely there will be one, perhaps well organized and housed in its own facility. Check the local library. There you will be looking for: pictures, plat maps, business records, insurance surveys etc. At the central county library have a look at the census records for 1920 and 1930 and for any special surveys which were done between the once a decade national census'. They are indexed by state and county as well as by special topic. Also check for industry publications: Iron and Steel Age, American Petroleum Journal, Sunset Magazine (begun as a marketing aid by the Southern Pacific RR) for example. Most were well illustrated and the editorial leaders are instructive as to what issues industry thought important in the period. The Standard Oil company house journal, The Lamp has served me well as a source of period building ideas. Get out into the field. The current Model Railroader has a brief article on researching period structures. A good place to begin. When you run across a factory structure you like check to see what happened to the business records. If you can locate them you will find that business in that period kept everything. You should be able to mine it for considerable useful material. All this may sound too detailed for what you have in mind, not to mention time consuming and boring. It may be. Eventually you will open a box of photos or turn a page and there it is: EXACTLY THE RIGHT IDEA. You will know it when you see it. Good Luck and have fun Randy
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