Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works Sites

In 1939, the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, i.e., the Public Works Administration (PWA), funded the construction of a bridge connecting Ocean and Colorado Avenues with the famous Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, CA. "The bridge was constructed to alleviate traffic congestion that occurred as a result of economic development of the City, the local building boom and subsequent local population boom, and the ongoing popularity of the attractions on the Pier" (see Santa Monica Pier Bridge Replacement Project, pp. 2.7-15, 16). The Pier Bridge is a simple reinforced concrete roadway, supported by multiple pediments, spanning the Pacific Coast Highway...

The red-brick Colonial Revival style post office was erected with WPA labor. (Van West, 2001). It contains a mural by Carl Nyquist, "Picking Cotton." Interestingly, Van West takes an almost opposite view of the accuracy of the mural from that Of Howard Hull, Tennessee Post Office Murals, 1996. (See entry for mural for Hull's perspective on the mural). Van West said of the mural: "While Nyquist's portrayal is plausible, it was misleading in terms of its depiction of race and gender roles" (p. 61). Van West identified the lack of head covering (and for that matter, protection from the sun!) as...

PWA project x1333 for improvements to Canton Municipal Utilities was approved Sep. 16, 1938. A $31,500 grant and a loan for the same amount was awarded. Construction began Dec. 19, 1938 and was completed Jul. 28, 1939.

The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided funding for the construction of a new high school in Preston, Idaho in 1939. The school building is a long, two-story structure with two wings flanking a central entrance, and what appears to be a gymnasium and second entry at the east end. The design is Brick Moderne with bas-relief columns capped by white stone and a slightly projecting central entrance with modest carved stone decorations and the date 1939 above the doorway. The school is in good condition and still in use.

Public Works Administration project W1026 funded improvements to the Ketchikan waterworks ($7,307), phone system ($4,411), and electric plant ($4,140). Waterworks and phone system improvements were approved 6/22/1938 and the electric plant was approved 7/7/1938. Construction began during August 1938 and was completed between January 1939 and July 1939 on all 3 sites.

The two-story jail was completed in 1936 for a total cost of $27,453. Public Works Administration provided a grant of $12,310 and Rankin County provided the remainder through a bond election. The project, W1159, was approved November 14, 1935, and bids advertised in November. Contracts were awarded December 14, 1935. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History documents N. W. Overstreet & A. H. Town as architects. The Jackson Clarion-Ledger (Nov 1, 1936) identified E. L. Malvaney as architect and I. C. Garbor and Sons construction. Construction began March 9, 1936 and was completed September 22, 1936. The jail was...

Two steel-reinforced concrete stadium bleachers facing each other are set in a man-made slope. The bleachers are supported at the rear by concrete columns attached with segmental arches.

This lovely example of Public Works Administration (PWA) Art Deco stands as a source of pride for this small farming community in the Central Valley. Both the PWA and Works Progress Administration (WPA) was involved in construction work on the campus. The High School campus was originally established in 1918. Separately, the Reedley Junior College was established in 1928. "In 1936, a separate building on the Reedley High School campus was built to house the junior college administration and provide additional classrooms." This building later became the main building for the high school when the Junior College was established on...

Public Works Administration (PWA) project 4484 funded a new reservoir for Wrangell with a $32,000 loan and a $$12,487 grant approved 6/20/1934. Construction began 2/7/1935 and was completed 8/2/1936. Art Anderson was awarded the bid for the new water dam to be constructed of timber with dirt and rock fill. The completed dam would result in a “reservoir of 36 acre feed” (Art Anderson, Petersburg Press, Feb. 8, 1935, p. 1). Foreman of construction was Oden Jensen.

"The bridge, built in 1938, is a five-span cast in place concrete T-beam structure that is 382 feet long and 56 feet wide, and accommodates four lanes of traffic and five foot sidewalks." A bronze plaque on the north end specifies that it was a Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works project number California 1461-D.  

In 1933-34, the California State Highway Department expanded and paved a two-mile section of the road behind the town of Carmel (now Highway 1) from the top of the hill down to the Carmel River.  They also built the first concrete bridge across the Carmel River. The work was paid for by the Public Works Administration (PWA), or as it was officially known when created under the National Recovery Act of 1933, the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works. This section of highway has been expanded further and repaved in recent years and the Carmel River bridge has been replaced with a...

The Public Works Administration funded the construction of the Robert W. Speer Memorial Children's Hospital in Denver CO. The building was completed in 1939. Today, the building is part of the Denver General Hospital. A cornerstone on the building reads, “Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, Project No. Colo. 1349 - F”

Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works funded the construction of the Roscoe School in Sun Valley CA. Plaque Inscription: Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States, Harold L. Ickes, Administrator of Public Works, 1939. Roscoe School was founded in 1917 to serve the small number of residents in the community of Roscoe. It began as a small one-room schoolhouse on the corner of San Fernando Road and Strathern Street. The structure was rebuilt on its original site and is still known as "The Little Red Schoolhouse." As the city of Roscoe grew over the years, numerous buildings...

At the time of its construction, this addition served as the high school in Louisiana. Missouri.  When a new high school was constructed in the 1960s, it became the junior high school.  It is presently not in use.

San Juan High School was constructed in 1915 and work by the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works done in 1939.

The Bay Springs school was Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works project W1052 for a $16,364 grant toward a total estimated cost of $40,743, approved 9/25/1935. Contracts were awarded 12/06/1935 and construction begun 5/5/1936. Construction was completed 12/29/1936. The one-story Colonial Revival style building was designed by architects Hull & Drummond.

A one-story brick veneer school was completed as Public Works Administration project 3900, July 31, 1935. An $11,500 loan and a $5,371 grant were awarded on March 21, 1935. Construction began April 16, 1935. The total of the project came to $18,711 at completion. The school contained 6 classrooms, a music hall, an office, and a 46 x 90 feet auditorium. The project employed an average of 25 men per day with an average weekly payroll of $600. Contract was awarded to M. T. Reed Construction of Belzoni. W. G. Eckles, State Director of School Building Service was the architect.

The Corinth High School was constructed 1938-1939 by Wessell Construction Company as Public Works Administration project W1250. Architects were Stevens and Johnston. The Art Moderne two story brick building was approved 6/22/1938 for a grant of $65,454 toward estimated cost of $145,454. Construction began 11/28/1938 and was completed 11/14/1939. It was expanded in 1954 to add an additional classroom, cafeteria, and band room. It remains in use as the Corinth Middle School.

The Good Hope community in Leake County was awarded a $9,816 grant and a $12,000 loan through the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works. Project W1062 was approved November 14, 1935. Construction started May 13, 1936 and was completed January 15, 1937 at a cost of $21, 816.

Pubic Works Administration project 2530 was approved 1/9/1934 for construction of a school in Houlka. The loan was $24,300 and grant $9306 for a total of $33,606. Construction began 6/16/1934 and was completed 1/191935 for a final total of $36,611. Edgar Lucian Malvaney was architect and the M. T. Reed Construction Company of Belzoni was the contractor. The one-story red brick Colonial Revival style building was undergoing renovation in July 2014 when it caught fire from a contractor’s spark and was destroyed.

The Kokomo Consolidated School building was approved as Mississippi project 8723 in 1934. Construction began in October and was completed June 23, 1935 at a total cost of $23,034. E. L. Malvaney was the architect of the Colonial Revival school, which was constructed by Currie and Corley builders and contractors.

The Public Works Administration project w1259 funded $7,363 of the cost of the Lake school. The project was approved 8/12/1937, construction begun 12/16/1937, and completed 12/15/1938. The building was a 1-story brick complex.

Mossville classroom building was constructed 1937 with Public Works Administration (PWA) funds as project W1072. A loan for $14,000 was combined with a grant for $11,454, approved 11/14/1935. The contract was awarded 2/10/1936, constructed begun May 7, and completed January 29, 1937. Architect was Edgar Lucian Malvaney. The building was destroyed 1943.

The administration building/high school for Nettleton was constructed with Public Works Administration grant W1137. The loan of $18,000 and grant of $14,727 was approved 9/25/1935. Construction began 2/1/1936 and was completed 10/22/1936 for a total cost of $33,230. The architect was John McGaughey Feemster. The building is still extant and in use as the Upper Elementary School.

The 1936 high school was designed by E. L. Malvaney, and constructed by Walter L. Perry Construction Company. Mississippi project W1034 provided a $40,909 grant and the city funded the remainder of the total cost of $92,437. Construction began March 25, 1936 and was completed January 20, 1937. The school was demolished at some point, but the concrete bas relief panels--found on many of E. L. Malvaney's Mississippi schools, were salvaged and erected at the back of the new school.

Raymond Consolidated School received a grant of $45,000 from PWA project W1172 to construct a new brick school building, approved 7/21/1936. The first contract was awarded 2/4/1937 and construction began February 10, completion October 16. The building contained a large auditorium, eight classrooms, and a heating plant. The architects were Hull & Drummond, with I. C. Garber constructing the new school. An addition was added, funded by PWA, for $20,000, March 1939. Originally constructed as Raymond High School, it remains in use as the elementary school.

The Rose Hill school was project W1230, approved 8/12/1937 for $7,940. The school was completed 4/29/1938 for a total cost of $17,923. The first contract was awarded 11/20/1937 and construction began 12/7/1937. Architects were Krouse & Brasfield and Builder/Contractor was Currie & Corley.

Public Works Administration projects W1138 and W1222 were approved for a school and school addition in Thalia. A grant of $12,272 was approved toward the estimated $27,272 cost on 9/25/1935. Construction began 3/18/1936 and was completed 11/3/1936. Bids were advertised in November for the construction of auditorium, gymnasium, home economics and manual training building. A bond issue was passed 63-20 by the Thalia voters in August. The proposed building was to be built of brick and tile. The contract for construction was awarded to Naylor and Reid of Wichita Falls. O. R. Walker of Lubbock was the architect. The initial...

Utica High School was completed 1939 as part of Public Works Administration (PWA) project W1183 to construct new buildings and improvements for five Hinds County schools. A bond election for Utica was held October 29 and $27,000 were approved for issue to supplement the PWA funding to construct a new building and complete alterations on the old school. The total for all five projects was $337,746 with PWA contributing a loan of $151,986. The project was approved 6/22/1938, bids advertised in October, and the project completed 12/4/1939. The building was opened for dedication November 16, 1939. The Clarion-Ledger reported a...

Public Works Administration project 4838 was approved 2/21/1934 for the construction of a school in Poplarville. The city received a loan of $14,100 and a grant of $5906. Construction began 6/18/1934 and was completed 12/14/1934 for a total of $19,891. The exact location of the school building is not specified. A number of Pearl River County schools were destroyed or badly damaged in Hurricane Camille in 1969, and there is no indication a school from that time period is still extant in Poplarville.

Bunger school was PWA project W1255. Construction was started February 17, 1936 and completed June 3, 1936 for a total cost of $11,853. Bid was awarded to Mont Groves of Olney. The former school is rock veneer. Voelcker & Dixon were architects. The building is currently undergoing renovation, apparently for use as a residence.

Public Works Administration project W1155 was a $2000 loan and a $1629 grant for a school, approved 11/14/1935. The first contract was awarded 12/14/1935 and construction began 1/22/1936. Wahalak was completed 8/5/1936. The school was consolidated with the Scooba school in 1949, and it was reported the former school was converted to a private home.

Public Works Administration project 5288 funded the Woodland school with a loan of $8700 and grant of $3300, approved 3/21/1934. Construction of the one-story, brick building began 10/29/1934 and was completed 3/9/1935. The school closed in 1986 and sold the building and property. It was purchased by a local family and since then has been in use as the Woodland Furniture Store.

The Public Works Administration funded a 5-room addition to the Spanish-styled Jonestown school building, originally constructed c. 1918-1922. The project was W1151, approved 11/14/1935 for a loan of $7,000 and grant of $5,727. Contract was awarded 1/14/1936, construction begun 4.7.1936, and completed 7/16/1936. Final total cost was $13,146. Architects were N. W. Overstreet and A. H. Town. Contractor was B. W. Crawford of Clarksdale. Work was completed by laborers from the Jonestown Relief Rolls. The school had Mississippi Landmark status when it was destroyed by fire in 2006. It had been undergoing renovations to use as a community center at...

Public Works Administration project 1135 funded the Biggersville school administration building, attributed to Stevens and Johnson by MDAH. The project was approved 9/25/1935 for a $14,500 loan and a $11,863 grant. Construction began 2/10/1936 and was completed 7/8/1936 for a total of $29,050.

The Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works built a School Administration Building Addition in Oakland MS. The addition to the Oakland 1909 school was project 1317, approved 8/12/1938 for a grant of $19,018. Architect was N. W. Overstreet and A. H. Town. The first contract was awarded 11/4/1938 and construction started 12/21/1938. It was completed 9/9/1939 for a total cost of $39,807.

Project W1204 was approved July 21, 1936 in the amount of a $20,000 loan and a $17,590 grant. Construction began October 12, and was completed December 29, 1937 for a total cost of $41,043. Robert William Naef was architect. Both buildings replaced the school and vocational teacher house destroyed by fire in 1935,

Public Works Administration project 3003 was approved 12/28/1933 for a new home economics building, annex to the existing building, and alterations to the existing building in the Savannah community of Pearl River County. A loan of $10,000 and grant of $4,182 was awarded. Vinson Smith, Jr. served as architect. A. Ziegenfelder was the contractor for the one-story brick and stone trim annex and the construction of a brick veneer home economics building. Plumbing, heating, roofing and sheet metal contract was awarded to Hamilton Brothers in the amount of $2,167 and Clark and Griffith received $304.74 for the electrical work. Construction...

PWA w1104 funded the addition of a five-room building for high school classes and a new gymnasium on the Leakesville school complex. The award for loan of $12,500 and grant of $10,396 was approved 9/25/1935. Construction began 1/6/1936 and was completed 10/12/1936 for a total cost of $28,841. The classroom building was constructed by Oden and Glen for the sum of $11,441 and the remainder funded the gymnasium. The gymnasium also served as a community center in addition to athletic events. The new classroom building was added to the east end of the complex and the gymnasium to the west...

Congressman Ross Collins announced Public Works Administration (PWA) approval of allotment of $28,636 for the Philadelphia School in Neshoba County. Project W1214 was approved 8/17, 1937. Contract was awarded 12/14, 1937, construction began 12/18/1937, and was completed 8/18/1938. The school's 1938 gymnasium, designed by Krouse & Brasfield, may have been part of the project. Philadelphia schools were recipients of additional $9,116 in August 1938.