• Cal Fire Station #12 - San Luis Obispo CA
    In 1937, the California Department of Natural Resources sponsored the Works Progress Administration to "Construct warehouse, garage, barracks, and residence; install refrigeration plant, water mains, and sewer facilities; landscape and improve grounds; and perform other appurtenant and incidental work, at and in the City of San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo County. All work under this project is in connection with the construction and development of buildings and facilities to be used solely in the prosecution of the normal functions of the State Forestry Division, Department of Natural Resources. In addition to projects specifically approved. State owned property." WPA...
  • Camp San Luis Obispo Improvements - San Luis Obispo CA
    Two different WPA projects involved improvements at Camp San Luis Obispo, a National Guard Training camp, formerly Camp Merriam, originally constructed in 1928. WPA Proj. No. 165-3-2634, September 17, 1936, Total sponsor and Federal funds $4,494, Months to Complete 5, Average Employed 29, "National Guard Training Camp. Move and reset frame structure, construct new footing at National Guard Training camp near San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo County. State owned property." WPA Proj. No. 165-3-3528, October 5, 1936, Total sponsor and federal funds $19,892, Months to complete 22, Average Employed 90, "Construct an open air theater including excavation and do other work...
  • Chorro Street Bridge - San Luis Obispo CA
    A low masonry headwall rises above a sidewalk on the west side Chorro Street in a residential area south of downtown San Luis Obispo. Spanning a small creek, the Chorro Street Bridge was constructed under a WPA street and drainage improvement project. In 1939-40, the WPA paved eight blocks of Chorro Street between Pacific and High streets. This followed an earlier improvement of a different section of the street in 1937. The wall (14’-long, 32”-high, 20”-thick) is made of square-cut stone laid in regular courses. Embedded in the center is a sandstone tablet documenting the WPA project. The stonework continues below the street...
  • City Waterworks Improvements - San Luis Obispo CA
    The Works Progress Administration (WPA) did improvements to the San Luis Obispo water supply in the 1930s.  WPA photographs from the National Archives show workers laying water pipes in city streets. Exactly when and where is not known to us.
  • Retaining Wall for Mission - San Luis Obispo CA
    Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was thoroughly restored in the 1930s under the guidance of Father John Hartnett, after a long history of neglect.  A previous rebuild in 1868 had added wooden siding and a wooden tower in New England style.  That was removed in 1934 and the mission was restored to a semblance of its original appearance (uncertain after many transformations). A stone wall was built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) on the west side of the mission along Palm Street and up the southwest side of the mission along Broad Street, effectively supporting the exterior wall of...
  • San Luis Obispo County Courthouse - San Luis Obispo CA
    In 1940, the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse was rebuilt by the New Deal on the site of the original county courthouse of 1851 and a Greek Revival courthouse of 1873.  The North Wing of the 1940 courthouse was in place before the older one was demolished to make way for the rest of the new structure (see historic photo, below).  The handsome building by local architects, Walker and Eisen, is a classic example of Civic Moderne, with fine detailing and bas-reliefs on the exterior (the condition of the interior is unknown to us).  It is a large edifice that almost...
  • Stenner Creek Bridge - San Luis Obispo CA
    The Works Progress Administration built the Stenner Creek Bridge in San Luis Obispo. The work included the following: "Demolish old bridge and construct timber truss bridge, over Stenner Creek on Foothill Boulevard, near the city of San Luis Obispo, in San Luis Obispo County. Not on Federal Aid Highway. County owned property." WPA Proj. No. A10-7-36, Oct. 19, 1936, Total sponsor and Federal funds $14,529, Months Spent 10, Average Employed 41. According to a NOAA Technical Memorandum, Stenner and San Luis Obispo creeks suffered destructive flooding on January 18, 1971, which likely damaged or destroyed the bridge. The current bridge is similar to...
  • Sunny Acres Detention Facility (abandoned) Improvements - San Luis Obispo CA
    This brick Romanesque architecture building overlooking the city was built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) on the property of the long-closed County Hospital. This is a former Tubercular Hospital. According to a WPA job card, the project scope was to "Construct a tubercular hospital building and do other work incidental thereto, on the County Hospital grounds in San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo County. In addition to projects specifically approved. County owned property." WPA Proj. No. 165-03-2104, February 6, 1937, Total sponsor and Federal funds $80,491, Months to complete 27, average employed 108. "Construct a new unit to the Tuberculosis Hospital,...