Civil Works Administration (CWA) Sites

"Some work was found through federal programs, such as the Civil Works Administration, with employment for some 200 people in local projects. For example, the upgrading of Kelley Field and the conversion of the Goddard Pond area into a playground offered some employment. Additional improvements to the road system as increasing automobile traffic demanded more access and more space also provided jobs. Vine Street was widened to provide a four-lane approach to the Carlton Bridge. A new road was constructed from Cook’s Corner to Bath in 1938, following the path of King’s Turnpike, a toll road built by William King...

New Deal agencies conducted extensive improvements in and around the towns of Bristol and South Bristol, as recorded in the Annual Report of the Municipal Officers of the Town of Bristol Maine. 1933 CWA Road work in Walpole and Round Pond Town share: $4,988.78 CWA: $5,000 “The towns of Bristol and South Bristol were allotted $6000.00 of the total of $29,202.00 to be expended in Lincoln County on roads, by the Federal Government in its first Reconstruction Program. This was one of the six projects approved in the County and was built with Federal money, under the supervision of the State Highway Commission and...

The Civil Works Administration conducted a municipal improvement project in Brookside, Alabama. Work began Nov. 24, 1933. CWA Project No. 37-C-370: completed; "streets, sidewalks & drains".

In 1935, the CWA and WPA were involved in cemetery work in the town employing 10 people. W. P. A. Hall project $2,625.36 W. P. A. Road project $223.46 W. P. A. Old Meetinghouse project. $42.64

Annual municipal reports show that the town of Fitzwilliam received assistance from multiple New Deal programs in the 1930s, including the RFC, the CWA (which constructed fire holes and water tanks and improved the library), and the WPA.  

The annual March 1933 to March 1934 town report notes: "REPORT OF CHIEF OF FIRE DEPARTMENT We were fortunate to get $700.00 C. W. A. money to lay a cement floor in the hose house and build seven fire dams." Rec’d from State, C. W. A. Drainage project, $91.44 15 employed REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS "Your school officials have organized and carried out one C. W. A. School Project under which during the last three months 14 class rooms in the different schools have been thoroughly renovated on the inside. Another project has placed several inches of gravel over the greater part of...

According to annual town reports, the New Deal was helping Harrisville (population 512 in 1930) deal with the economic depression very early on after President Roosevelt was elected. 1933 Town Warrant #6. To see if the town will vote a sum not exceeding $500 to remodel and enlarge the town library if additional money can be secured from the C. W. A." R.F.C. loan of $336.89 for highway work. 1935 Selectmen and Treasurer Report F.E.R.A. ------ $1,000.00 Highways: 13. W. P. A. project No. 248, $584.90 (c) WPA project No. 248, MacVeagh road and Eastview road: Wilfred Record, foreman, truck drivers material, $584 90 "The highway projects have consisted of...

A municipal report from 1934 describes early New Deal work in Houlton: R.F.C. work included a High School lot project: "Mr. Brown approved the High School lot project for Houlton, and an allowance of $3,000 per month to carry on the work, the work to begin May 1st, 1933... The labor for filling, grading, landscaping, tree cutting and tree surgery on the High School lot kept some 100 men in two crews per week on half time employment for nine weeks. Besides the High School lot, the Chairman personally supervised the building of six small houses which were occupied when built by those unable...

Annual reports show that the town of Hudson was helped extensively by New Deal programs. In addition to work by the RFC and FERA (which included distributing food and medicine to school children), the CWA repaired and improved schools and libraries. From 1935 on, the WPA did extensive work on the town's infrastructure, including digging fire holes, improving town roads, and moth extermination. The WPA and PWA also improved local school grounds. The NYA also employed local school children for "various tasks around the school."

Municipal reports for fiscal year 1934 document that the town voted & raised $591 for a C.W.A road project. No details are given as to what was worked on. The 1936 report explains that federal money was spent constructed a road to the local airport as well. The airport itself also received federal funding under FERA, acquiring a 1400 x 100 gravel runway and a 600 x 100 additional feet of construction for existing runways.

Useful work was accomplished in the small town of Kingfield (population 1,024 1930) by the New Deal. 1933 REPORT OF THE SELECTMEN OF KINGFIELD "Through the C. W. A., we have brought approximately $2000.00 into the town. This money was expended on the West Kingfield road where it was much needed. The work was not performed under the most favorable conditions, and we do not know just how the spring weather conditions will affect this work. However, we have placed from 6 to 12 inches of gravel, 16 to 18 feet wide, for a distance of approximately 2 miles. The money paid for wages...

Only 1933 and 1934 town reports are available. 1933 Local residents Chas. Vane, Lee Roberts, Daniel Morang, Bertram Bowker, Frank Ames leave for a C.C.C. Camp with the town covering their transportation. C. W. A. SEWER PROJECT $237.70 7 men employed. 1934 Expenditures Burnham Hardware Co., C. W. & E. R. A. $527.01 Chapman Lumber Co., Brick Tile & Lumber C. W. A. $236.12 Orrin Marston, truck on C. W. A. $99.54 Eugene Bowers, Labor at Rawson School yard, C. W. A. $73.52 Bert Stanhope, truck C. W. A. and E. R. A. $72.25 R. N. Hiatt, Labor on Drills for C. W. A. and E. R. A....

"1933: The Civil Works Administration of Florida sends 150 men to make improvements to the town." "1936-37: City receives help from the Works Progress Administration for bulkheading, street maintenance, improvements for the water works, etc."

Multiple New Deal agencies conducted municipal improvement projects in Nome, Alaska. The Civil Works Administration (CWA) conducted did the following, per The Nome Nugget: Through ... the Civil Work Administration, Nome is daily bring improved and plans are being carried out thru the Alaska Road Commission to repair municipal buildings, clean necessary thoroughfares and gravel public property of value for purposes of fire-prevention and safety. The paper also refers to a water project: The fresh water project of the CWA has been completed and gives every appearance of being an extremely beneficial piece of work. The CWA was succeeded by the Federal Emergency Relief...

The New Deal early on was involved in helping this small rural town (est. 1680) which only had a population of 569 in 1930. 1933 A few individuals are mentioned along with the town share of costs each for a PWA project and a C.W.A. road project involving a culvert. The school superintendent in a lengthy report gives a mention to the New Deal "The Federal Relief Program even recognizes the importance of adult education and guidance so we cannot consider curtailing the advantages for those who are immature in all respects." 1934 4 people and a few companies are mentioned in connection with a...

In 1933-34, the CWA erected a wharf in Occoquan. The PWA and CCC also worked on other nearby improvements. The original docks and wharves have been replaced over time due to disastrous floods in 1965 and 1974, but the photos shown here the documented site where New Deal works were conducted in Occoquan.

The 1933 town report notes $1,712.05 spent by the town on an unspecified CWA road project. The 1934 town report lists a small contribution by the town toward unspecified CWA and FERA road and bridge projects. The 1935 town report mentions a loan of $11,000 from the PWA for a building fund. The warrant section says "Art. 20. To see what action the Town will vote to take as to the use of its P. W. A. School House Building Loan." The 1936 report lists a "WPA State Aid Bridge" $1,066 by Maine, $544 by the town, and $614 by a joint fund...

From the Pittsfield Historical Society: In those five years there were other items of lesser interest but worthy of mention. One of the first of the alphabetical administrations created by the new Democrat regime was the Civil Works Administration -- the CWA. Mr. John McDonough was the state administrator, and he appointed Ray Badger local administrator. Mr. Badger had many projects to supervise, including the repair of the library roof, the renovation of the interior of the town farm, building cemetery lanes, repairing rural roads, and pruning shade trees. ... Another construction project of importance to Pittsfield was the concrete highway through town....

A significant amount of useful employment was provided thanks to the New Deal in this port city which dates back to the original settlements in the early 1600's and whose shipyards have played a key part in every conflict our nations history. Only 1933 to '36 and 1942 town reports were available. 1933 "The City received funds from the local Unemployment Committee, the State of N. H. Highway Department, the State of N. H. Relief Administration, the Reconstruction Finance Corporation via the State of N. H., the Civil Works Administration via the State of N. H., the Unemployment Relief Construction, and various...

Throughout the lifespan of the New Deal, the citizens of Presque Isle Maine (population 6,695 in 1930) benefited from numerous projects from road construction, school repair, the airport, work relief, and a slaughter house. 1933 C. W. A. SPECIAL PROJECTS MATERIALS $1,398.90 1934 HIGHWAYS IN CONNECTION WITH ERA PROJECTS Raised at Special Town Meeting $2,004.02 Expenditures Materials, Cleaves Road $740.95 Materials Parkhurst Road $438.51 Materials Phair Junction Road $472.73 Materials Spragueville Road $351.83 MATERIAL FOR RELIEF PROJECTS Emergency Work Relief $915.71 C. W. A. Accounts $1,879.96 F. E. R. A. Accounts $1,106.96 Total $3,902.63 E. R. A. labor was used on Hall, Second, Dyer and Park Streets and on the Sidewalks that constructed in 1934. The...

The New Deal agencies C.W.A., E.R.A., C.C.C. and W.P.A. were involved in standard relief and infrastructure work in the small resort town of Rangeley according to town reports from 1933 to 1937 1934 E. R. A. Acct. $685.94 C. W. A. Acct. $1,345.00 R. Davenport, use of auto for C.C.C. crew to clear slash on Bald Mt. road $60 00 Harold M. Ferguson, rent of C. C. C. lot $100 00 C. W. A. ACCOUNT OF ADMINISTRATOR* Received from Town Treasurer $1,561 00 20 people employed and 5 companies involved Feb 1935 to Feb 1936 Sixth Annual Report of the BUDGET COMMITTEE 57. W. P. A. Projects, $1,200 00 Feb 1936 to...

"According to the Annual Town Reports of 1934-35 and 1936-37, the CWA, FERA and WPA were involved in numerous projects throughout the city. The dollar amounts are the share of the project that the city contributed and don't list the amount provided by Federal Relief agencies. "The town library which was a gift from the Carnegie foundation in 1903, owing to the thorough renovation which the building received in 1934 through a CWA project, no repairs have been necessary this year (1935), beyond the general upkeep. The school district received the benefit of Federal Labor and with a small expenditure of funds...

Newspaper articles describe various projects in carried out in Skowhegan  by the CWA, FERA and the WPA, as well as direct food relief provided by federal agencies. In 1934, the CWA began a sewing project employing local women. In 1938, the WPA also ran a sewing project in town. Work by FERA over the years included building 700 feet of sewer line from Hesselton St across the Cannan Rd and into the Kennebec River; other sewer work on West Front, Hathaway, Leavitt and St. John Streets; installing street signs; constructing sidewalks; cutting roadside bushes; and improving the local airport. FERA also ran...

A small amount of Federal assistance was provided for this very rural community of 161 people (1930 population) 1933 ORDERS DRAWN FOR 1933 C. W. A. WORK Everett Day, materials for CWA work $ 2 58 Hutchins' Cash Store, dynamite, fuse and caps 20 08 Total $22 66 Report of the Superintendent of Schools "It is generally known, I think, that underweight children are receiving free milk at the hands of the Federal Emergency Relief during the winter and spring terms." 1934 ORDERS DRAWN FOR ERA WORK, Improvement of a school lot 6 men employed $158.65 Report of the Superintendent of Schools "There is available no Federal Free Milk this year but...

A small amount of Federal assistance was provided to this typical small New England community (1930 population 2,066). 1933 RFC loan 730.84 for Highways & Bridges Request for a C.W.A. loan for grading at the Factory, Center, and Westport schools. THE PRESIDENT'S CHALLENGE This crisis can be met, but not in a day or a year, and education is a vital factor in the meeting of it/ —FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. ***** "The most important question requiring an answer today at the hands of the American people is: What are we going to do about our public schools? Shall we maintain them on such a basis as will give our children an education...

1934 Under MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES, gravel for a C.W.A. project costing the town $113.00 is noted as part of their share, but no other details are provided in the annual report. 1935 Under MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES, 3 persons are listed as supplying food in connection with a F.E.R.A. project, and a lumber company is listed as supplying lumber for a C.W.A. project. Under SPECIAL RESOLVE MAINTENANCE, 13 people are employed on a C.W.A. project on Depot Street, the town share is $126.12. 1937 Under TOWN APPROPRIATIONS, $600 is noted for a Federal Project which went toward a new sewer and septic tank at the high school and the...

CWA, ERA, WPA, and PWA during the entire period of the New Deal were involved in some economic activity, not counting the CCC work on the park and Navy Base in this small coastal community. 1934 Under ROADS AND BRIDGES, the the C.W.A. is listed as hiring 15 people for a road project. 1935 Under CONTINGENT ACCOUNT an E.R.A. project and a W.P.A. project are mentioned without any details about the nature of the project. 1936 An unspecified W.P.A. road project employed 14 men. THIRD CLASS ROADS (Used with PWA Project) 16 men employed and $647.64 contributed by the town. 1937 An unspecified W.P.A. project 14 employed $832.29 contributed...

Extensive work was done in Berlin by a combination of the CWA, FERA, PWA, NYA, CCC and WPA all during the existence of the New Deal when “in 1935, under the leadership of newly-elected Mayor Arthur Bergeron, the Farmer-Labor Party began the process of reorganizing city government and acting as a conduit for federal monies in response to the mass lay-offs in the the Great Northern and Brown paper mills” (https://www.berlinnh.gov) 1935 The period of the Civil Works Administration ended on April 1, with jobs incomplete as follows Athletic Field, Boating and Bathing Pool at the Bog. 1936 "The Federal Work Projects have assisted...

Town reports for Concord document a number of miscellaneous improvements to parks around the city. A 1933 report of that year stated: "With funds obtained from the CWA considerable work has been done and all the parks received attention." In 1933 and 1934, the CWA was involved in tree work around the city. In 1939, the city reported it had received "468,000 man-hours of labor during the past year. This labor was applied to a huge variety of useful permanent work. In addition to these improvements, live water holes were built; and enlarged facilities were provided at the Russell...

Extensive work was done in Berlin by a combination of the CWA, FERA, PWA, NYA, CCC and WPA all during the existence of the New Deal when "in 1935, under the leadership of newly-elected Mayor Arthur Bergeron, the Farmer-Labor Party began the process of reorganizing city government and acting as a conduit for federal monies in response to the mass lay-offs in the the Great Northern and Brown paper mills"   (https://www.berlinnh.gov) Road, street, and sidewalk work in Berlin included the following: 1934 CWA work on the Glen Rd. 1935 FERA constructed the Rockingham St wall. 1936 "By far the two largest jobs undertaken by the city were...

A huge amount of road, street, and sidewalk infrastructure work employed hundreds of the unemployed all throughout the life of the New Deal by the CWA, FERA, and WPA. Town reports throughout the 1930s document such work in Nashua, NH. In 1934, 23 projects were "completed in whole or in part by C. W. A. and F. E. R. A. funds, to an amount of many thousands of dollars." This work included projects on North Hollis Road, Bloods Crossing Road, Charlotte Avenue, East Dunstable Road, Ferry Road, East, Conant Road, Hills Ferry Road, Removal of Carbarn on Kinsley Street. In 1935,...

Multiple federal New Deal agencies, particularly the Works Progress Administration (WPA), assisted with the construction of municipal roads in Oxford, Mass. and North Oxford, Mass. during the 1930s. The Report of the Selectman for the town for 1935 states: "... the extension of black surfaced roads, a greater mileage of which has been constructed than in any previous year due to the fact that much road work in the form of stone filled sections and gravelling has been done through the agencies of the C.W.A., E.R.A. and W.P.A. relief programs."

"The Glen Park Municipal Swimming Pool complex was completed as a Federal jobs program project during the Great Depression. Construction began in the winter of 1933-1934 when President Franklin Roosevelt's administration rushed to get the unemployed to work during the first months of a new program - the Civil Works Administration (CWA). After heating the frozen ground with wood fires, workers excavated with pick axes and hauled dirt by wheelbarrows to form an 8 foot-deep hole measuring 105 by 40 feet for the pool. The construction crew poured concrete beneath an enclosure heated by seven wood-burning stoves. CWA laborers worked...

According to an article in the Lewiston Evening Journal of January 3, 1935 by Gerald Reed, extensive utility work was undertaken in the city by a combination of the CWA, FERA, & ERA agencies. "Under Sup. Cook of the Auburn Water and Sewerage District, a reforestation program was undertaken at Lake Auburn with the planting of 30,000 trees. Several additional services and the replacement of old water mains were installed on Loring, Western, Forest, & Fairmont Avenues, Towle, School, Fifth, Taylor, and Oliver Streets, a right of way at Court St. and Hillcrest Ave. The projects also included the lowering of the...

Extensive work was done in Berlin by a combination of the CWA, FERA, PWA, NYA, CCC and WPA all during the existence of the New Deal when "in 1935, under the leadership of newly-elected Mayor Arthur Bergeron, the Farmer-Labor Party began the process of reorganizing city government and acting as a conduit for federal monies in response to the mass lay-offs in the the Great Northern and Brown paper mills"   (https://www.berlinnh.gov) Utilities, culverts, water mains, storm drains, & sewer lines were improved by New Deal agencies: 1934 CWA builds the Coos Street Culvert, Boating and Bathing Pool at the Bog. 1935 "FERA builds the Main...

Much work was done by the New Deal in this small town of 1,018 (population 1930) The 1934-35 town report mentions E.R.A. and C.W.A. help on road work projects. Amusingly, the report of the school supervisor complains about all the Federal help for roads but nothing for the schools in town. The 1935-36 town report mentions $150 being raised in connection with a W.P.A. sidewalk project. The school superintendent wrote "On December 27th Mr. Crocker of the School Committee, Mr. Carson of the Board of Selectmen, and myself, went to Augusta and entered a project for school building improvement under the WPA. The project...

What was then known as the Municipal Yacht Basin was constructed as a New Deal project, undertaken by the Civil Works Administration (CWA) and Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA). As part of the broader development: "The City of Charleston continued to explore opportunities for using the as a seaplane terminal. In the spring of that year, flights from Germany to Charleston were proposed. In early 1937, the Works Progress Administration started work to convert the mill building into the James F. Byrnes air terminal. Pan American World Airways hired the New York firm of Delano and Aldrich to plan for a...

The second floor of the north wing of the Ben W. Murch Elementary School was added by the Civil Works Administration (CWA) in 1933-34.  The school is an elegant two-story, federal-style building with a cupola over the central portion and two harmonious wings, north and south. The school was founded in 1930, but the DC school system probably ran out of funds in the Great Depression to finish the full plan, so the CWA was called upon to complete the job. Confirmation of this supposition is needed. Ben Murch School replaced an earlier Grant Road School, dating back to the 1860s.

The Museum of Indigenous People was constructed 1933-1935 by relief workers employed by the Civil Works Administration (CWA) and Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA).  It is built of local fieldstone and flagstone in a sober, if romanticized, indigenous style. It was long known as the Smoki Museum after a local club of White businessmen who called themselves "the Smoki People" and dressed up as Hopi to perform native dances. After protests by Hopi, who disapproved of such imitations, the club stopped its dances and eventually disbanded.  The name of the museum was changed in 2020.   The museum collection evolved from native...

"The hotel at Nantasket Beach was renovated and painted by the Civil Works Administration in 1934, "floors reconditioned, furniture cleaned and varnished and the outside of building painted. Labor was paid for from Federal Funds, but a large portion of the materials was furnished by the state."