Tucson Sites

The Works Progress Administration built the Municipal Swimming Pool in Tucson. The exact location and condition of this facility is unknown to the Living New Deal. Additional contributor note, August 2018: The Tucson Municipal Pool is likely the same facility as the pool located at Himmel Park. The park was built roughly the same year as the pool. The WPA worked on other projects in the part of town where the pool is located. Many of the sidewalks in the vicinity of the pool bear the WPA stamp with 1930s dates.

The Works Progress Administration built the entrance gate to Oury Park in Tucson.

The Works Progress Administration built the Pima County Hospital in Tucson. The 30,000-square feet facility was laid out in four distinct units. It consisted of an “administration building which included doctors’ offices, lecture room, major and minor operating rooms, sterilizing facilities, the men’s ward, women’s ward; children’s and maternity wards; therapeutic ward, nurses’ home,” among others uses. Per TOMF.org: "The hospital stood between 38th and 39th streets, east of Sixth Avenue." The facility has since been demolished.

Sabino Canyon Recreation Area is in Coronado National Forest at the northeast corner of Tucson AZ.  At the behest of the city of Tucson and Pima County, it was developed out of former mining and grazing land in the Santa Catalina Mountains by New Deal agencies, which built access roads, dams and recreational facilities.  Relief workers hired under the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and Works Progress Administration (WPA) all contributed to the park's improvement.  A major recreational lake never materialized, as funds ran out in the mid-1930s and, beside, dams in the desert quickly fill with sediment...

Sabino Canyon Recreation Area is in Coronado National Forest at the northeast corner of Tucson AZ. At the behest of the city of Tucson and Pima County, it was developed out of former mining and grazing land in the Santa Catalina Mountains by New Deal agencies, which built roads, dams and recreational facilities.  Relief workers hired under the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and Works Progress Administration (WPA) all contributed to the park's improvement.  A major recreational lake never materialized, as funds ran out in the mid-1930s and, beside, dams in the desert quickly fill with sediment...

The city of Tucson is flanked by two halves of the Saguaro National Park, which protects extensive areas of Sonoran Desert landscapes and the biodiverse communities of the Tucson Mountains and Rincon Mountains, two of the many "sky islands" of southern Arizona. The eastern district of Saguaro National Park was set aside as Saguaro National Monument by President Herbert Hoover in early 1933; today, it is known as the Saguaro NP - Rincon Mountain District (RMD).  The western district of the park was originally part of the Tucson Mountain Park, a county park created in 1929; the northern section of the...

The city of Tucson is flanked by two halves of the Saguaro National Park, which protects extensive areas of Sonoran Desert landscapes and the biodiverse communities of the Tucson Mountains and Rincon Mountains – two of the many "sky islands" of southern Arizona. The eastern district of Saguaro National Park was set aside as Saguaro National Monument by President Herbert Hoover in early 1933; today, it is known as the Saguaro NP - Rincon Mountain District (RMD).  The western district of the park was originally part of the Tucson Mountain Park, a county park created in 1929; the northern section of...

The city of Tucson is flanked by two halves of the Saguaro National Park, which protects extensive areas of Sonoran Desert landscapes and the biodiverse communities of the Tucson Mountains and Rincon Mountains – two of the many "sky islands" of southern Arizona. The eastern district of Saguaro National Park was set aside as Saguaro National Monument by President Herbert Hoover in early 1933; today, it is known as the Saguaro NP - Rincon Mountain District (RMD).  The western district of the park was originally part of the Tucson Mountain Park, a county park created in 1929; the northern section of...

The city of Tucson is flanked by two halves of the Saguaro National Park, which protects extensive areas of Sonoran Desert landscapes and the biodiverse communities of the Tucson Mountains and Rincon Mountains – two of the many "sky islands" of southern Arizona. The eastern district of Saguaro National Park was set aside as Saguaro National Monument by President Herbert Hoover in early 1933; today, it is known as the Saguaro NP - Rincon Mountain District (RMD).  The western district of the park was originally part of the Tucson Mountain Park, a county park created in 1929; the northern section of...

The city of Tucson is flanked by two halves of the Saguaro National Park, which protects extensive areas of Sonoran Desert landscapes and the biodiverse communities of the Tucson Mountains and Rincon Mountains – two of the many "sky islands" of southern Arizona. The eastern district of Saguaro National Park was set aside as Saguaro National Monument by President Herbert Hoover in early 1933; today, it is known as the Saguaro NP - Rincon Mountain District (RMD).  The western district of the park was originally part of the Tucson Mountain Park, a county park created in 1929; the northern section of...

The Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) constructed sidewalks in Tucson, Arizona. "Near University Boulevard a few blocks from the campus, a sidewalk marking caught our eye.  “USA–WPA-1938” was stamped into the cement sidewalk.  The WPA – the Works Progress Administration – was a program of the 1930s that put people to work during the “Great Depression” (as opposed to our current depression – small “d”).  Many public works projects were accomplished during that time.  The quality of the workmanship is obviously exceptional for it to survive like new for 70-plus years as it has."

The Works Progress Administration built sidewalks and/or completed improvements on Tyndall Avenue in Tucson. WPA sidewalk stamps are located along Tyndall Ave. between First and Second Streets. The sidewalk may seem a minor project, but it is in front of a lovely old row of adobe style craftsman cottages that have been converted to "marginal" academic uses (public policy, global sustainability, women's studies). But that lovely scale and architecture are being obliterated by high rise upscale student housing.  

Numerous large-scale street improvement and paving projects were undertaken in Tucson, Arizona during the Great Depression with the assistance of federal Public Work Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied outright grants of more than $800,000 (not adjusted for inflation) for the work. PWA Docket Nos. AZ 1034, 1036, 1038, 1039, 1041, 1043, 1044, 1046, 1047, 1048, 1052, 1053, 1054, 1055

Tucson Mountain Park, created in 1929, was opened to general recreation use in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), working with the Pima County parks agency.  The northern half of the original park was added to the Saguaro National Monument in 1961, which became a national park in 1994, and this portion of the park was renamed Saguaro National Park – Tucson Mountain District (TMD). (See also Saguaro NP (TMD) project pages) The CCC 'boys' set up Camp Pima, SP6A, in December 1933 at the northwest corner of what was is now Saguaro NP.  Working from there, they carried out extensive...

Tucson Mountain Park, created in 1929, was opened to general recreation use in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), working with the Pima County parks agency.  The northern half of the original park was added to the Saguaro National Monument in 1961, which became a national park in 1994, and this portion of the park was renamed Saguaro National Park – Tucson Mountain District (TMD). (See also Saguaro NP (TMD) project pages) The CCC 'boys' set up Camp Pima, SP6A, in December 1933 at the northwest corner of what was is now Saguaro NP.  Working from there, they carried out extensive...

"Public Works Administration funds financed construction of the Tucson Plant Materials Center. Hispanic workers hired with Federal Emergency Relief Administration funds made the adobe blocks. The eight original buildings at the center were later assembled by Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees between 1935 and 1941. Designed according to the Pueblo Revival style which imitates early southwestern Native American and Spanish architecture, the buildings were constructed with flat roofs, rounded corners, vigas (exposed wooden roof beams), and rough-carved, wooden porches. Today only two buildings, the administration and the general utility building, remain. The Tucson Plant Materials Center was one of 48 nurseries...

The Public Works Administration funded the construction of the Science Building (today known as the Chemistry Building) at the University of Arizona at Tucson. The structure was designed by Roy Place and built in 1936. A 1986 National Register of Historic Places form describes the formal qualities of the building: “The Chemistry - Physics Building is a two-story red brick building constructed in the Italian Romanesque Revival style. However, the two main entrances are classical in detail. The building faces north on to the mall. Its walls are constructed in English Bond; there is a concrete base with ashlar markings. There are...

The Public Works Administration funded the construction of the Administration building at the University of Arizona at Tucson. The structure was designed by Roy Place and was built in 1937. Today the building is known as the Robert L. Nugent Building and serves as the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

The Public Works Administration funded the construction of the auditorium at the University of Arizona, Tucson campus. It was designed by campus architect Roy Place. The venue opened in 1937 and hosted musical programs, plays, and lectures for students and the general public. The auditorium is known today as Centennial Hall.

The Public Works Administration funded the construction of Gila Residence Hall at the University of Arizona at Tucson. The building served as a women’s dormitory. The structure was designed by Roy Place and built in 1937. It was renovated in 1988 and added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Public Works Administration funded the construction of the Humanities Building at the University of Arizona at Tucson. The structure was designed by Roy Place and built in 1935. A 1986 National Register of Historic Places form describes the formal qualities of the building: “The two story brick classroom building, facing north to North Campus Drive, is in the Italian Romanesque Revival style. The brickwork is English Bond. There is a concrete base with distinct ashlar patterning. There is a recessed entry highlighted by terracotta columns (in-antis) having abstract basket-weave capitals. A triple arch composition over the entry has two terra cotta...

The Public Works Administration funded the construction of Yuma Residence Hall at the University of Arizona at Tucson. The structure was designed by Roy Place and was built in 1937. The building served as a women’s dormitory.

"In 1934 University of Arizona President Homer Shantz persuaded Arizona's governor and state legislature to request funding from the Public Works Administration for a major building program on the university campus. PWA funds supported the construction of numerous buildings, seven of which still stand: the Arizona State Museum, Chemistry, Humanities (CESL), Auditorium (Centennial Hall), Administration (Nugent Hall), and two women's dormitories (Gila and Yuma Halls). The seven buildings were designed by Tucson architect Roy Place in the Spanish/Italian Romanesque style. They display large, rounded arches over windows and entryways; the masonry façades contain multiple materials of contrasting colors in decorative...

The Works Progress Administration built the entrance gate to the University of Arizona, Tucson campus, circa 1937.

"These illustrations are of the new museum building on the campus of the University of Arizona. It is 76 by 140 feet with a museum room on the first floor 87 by 70 feet, two small rooms each 31 by 23 feet, and offices for the curator and staff. A mezzanine exhibition gallery extends around the building. Construction is semifireproof with exterior walls of brick trimmed with stone. The project was completed in March 1937. The project cost of $1,043,174 included 16 buildings for the university." The museum is located at 1013 E. University Blvd., Tucson, AZ.

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded the construction of the Infirmary, which was part of the PWA expansion of the University of Arizona. The structure was completed in May, 1936. The infirmary was remodeled as the Student Health Center in 1964.  

"The structure illustrated on this page was erected by the Soil Conservation Service of the Department of Agriculture to provide an erosion-control nursery and laboratories for the growing and testing of soil-protecting trees, bushes, plants, and grasses, as well as facilities for seed assembling and distribution. The building is of adobe construction and contains offices, a conference room, rooms for seed storage and packing, and a dark room. The greenhouse is typical greenhouse construction. The project was completed in August 1935 and the P.W.A. allotment was $17,190." The greenhouse may have recently been demolished (https://parentseyes.arizona.edu/placesinthesun/beginnings.php).

The Publics Works Administration funded the construction of ROTC stables, infirmary, and barracks for the cavalry training program. Interestingly, by the time of completion horses were already practically obsolete within the US military. Within five years, "cavalry" would mean meant tanks, not horses. "The R. O. T. C. Stables was another PWA project, designed by Roy Place and built by the M. M. Sundt Co. It is located on the north side of Warren Avenue, north of the University of Arizona Medical Center, next to the old UA polo field. It was completed in March, 1936. Original cost was $24,342. Later,...

"The University of Arizona carried out a rather extensive building program with the aid of the P.W.A. The women's building is characteristic of the architecture that was adopted for all buildings and has a somewhat north Italian medieval flavor and blends with the surroundings. The building is part one and part two stories in height. On the first floor is a women's gymnasium, 61 by 90 feet, with special exercise and locker rooms adjoining. There is also a swimming pool, 30 by 75 feet, furnished with underwater lighting and a modern sterilizing and filtering plant. On the second floor is a...

A waterworks-improvement construction project in Tucson, Arizona was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $226,636 grant; the total cost of the project was $493,325. Work occurred between August 1938 and November 1939. (PWA Docket No. AZ W1032)