Public Works Funding Sites

The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided financial support for the revamping of the "power plant and heating systems" of what was then known as Appalachian State Teachers College in Boone, North Carolina. The PWA provided a grant of $14,178 for the project, whose total cost was $33,860. Work occurred between Dec. 1937 and Jun. 1938. Per The Charlotte Observer, the contract for the work was awarded to Bagwell Plumbing and Heating of Durham. Living New Deal believes the (most likely-demolished) facility to be located at the south end of campus, on University Drive, by what is now the site of the...

The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a grant for the construction of a new science building: Smith-Wright Hall at what was then known as Appalachian State Teachers College in Boone, North Carolina. The cornerstone identifies 1939 as the year construction started, as well as the PWA project number and notable figures. The building was completed in 1940. PWA Project No. N.C. 1473-F

Constructed with PWA funds.

The following water main was laid as part of a Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project: "Arborway, from Pond and Prince streets, to Forest Hills street ..."

The federal Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) contributed to the development of Rock Hill's Arcade-Victoria School. "School buildings and classroom additions went up at Central School, Northside School, Arcade-Victoria School, and Ebenezer Avenue School, with A. D. Gilchrist the architect for all these PWA projects." The former Arcade-Victoria School has since been demolished.

In February 1936, to complete the portion of Highway 101 between Cannon Beach and Manzanita, the Oregon Highway Department approved construction plans for a 1227-foot-long tunnel through Arch Cape. The federal Public Roads Administration provided critical funding for the project. At the time of its construction, it was the longest tunnel on the Oregon Coast Highway. Difficulties associated with the long bore through both the cape's sandstone and basalt stretched the construction project out over almost four years. The presence of soft sandstone required the construction of a timber lining to prevent a cave-in. Construction workers struggled with difficult conditions including exposure...

The 1,121-foot Arch Street Overpass was constructed in 1940. Careful analysis of the bridge plate (plaque) as per historic Google Street View imagery suggests that this project was funded by the Public Roads Administration of the Federal Works Agency; the superstructure appears to have been replaced as of 2018.

Funded by the Public Works Administration, the school cost $42,000. This work was supervised by W. J. Walker of the Olney PWA office, who supervised the Jermyn School construction.

Built with funding from the Public Works Administration in 1939, Arcola School represented an upgrade in school facilities standards by providing a separate room for every grade. The four-room school replaced the one-room rural school school typical of rural areas. This was part of a larger school modernization effort across the United States. Arcola School was built during an era of segregated public schools and was the county's first elementary school for white students. From a 2009 nomination form of the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places": "This building was a school within the Loudoun County Public School System until 1977 and was then...

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded the construction of the State Capitol Annex Building in 1938. The University of Arizona Libraries Digital Collections information page on State Capitol murals mentions that PWA funds were used "to hire Jay Datus to paint a series of murals entitled 'The Pageant of Arizona Progress.' Datus came to Arizona in 1937 at the age of 23, already an accomplished and well-known artist. He spent two years in research for these works in order to accurately depict the dress and actions of his subjects. His figures include Native Americans, miners, explorers, missionaries and pioneers." According to C.W....

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded the construction of several new facilities at the Arizona State Teachers College in Tempe – today's Arizona State University. The New Deal improved many college campuses, including the University of Arizona in Tucson and Phoenix College.  Teachers' Colleges were often targetted. The building shown here is probably the back of West Hall, now covered by other buildings and the reception is surely in the lounge of West Hall. Known buildings have their own project pages.  Matthews Hall appears to be New Deal, but it is not certain.  More information regarding the location and status of all New Deal...

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded the construction a cafeteria building at the Arizona State Teachers College in Tempe (today the Arizona State University). The exact location of the cafeteria and its fate are unknown to the Living New Deal. It has probably been demolished.

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded the construction of the central heating plant at the Arizona State Teachers College in Tempe (today the Arizona State University).  The site was cleared in 2019 for a large hotel-retail complex.

There is a record in the National Archives of the Public Works Administration (PWA) funding the construction of a golf course at the Arizona State Teachers College in Tempe (now the Arizona State University).  It is unclear what kind of golf course is meant and where it was located, and the picture shows students putting behind a campus building – not a golf course at all.  There was a true golf course built northeast of the ASU campus, but apparently much later.  Further information is needed to verify the history of this golf course.

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded the construction of the old Matthews library building at the Arizona State Teachers College in Tempe.  It presently serves as the Matthews Center on the campus of today's Arizona State University. The building is a low (two-story) brick building in neo-classical style. It has a large footprint, no doubt to accommodate book stacks in the past.  It is unclear how much modification has been made for its new life as The Matthews Center.   

The Public Works Administration (PWA)  funded the construction of the West Hall, a girls’ dormitory at the Arizona State Teachers College in Tempe (today the Arizona State University). "Built as the last of four dormitories that created the quadrangle, a place that hosted many early student traditions, West Hall is the only of the four buildings still remaining. The School of Social Transformation, and the School of Politics and Global Studies now occupy West Hall." West Hall is a handsome, two-story brick building in neo-classical style. The columned portico has Paladian windows and the original light fixtures.  There are inset bas-reliefs set around...

This Arkansas State University building was constructed by the PWA in 1936. It started as a Teacher Training School, before it became the current Sciences and Math building where many science classes are taught. It is still in great shape today.

Constructed in 1939, the Science Building of Arkansas State College (now the Business Building of Arkansas State University), was one of multiple New Deal projects on the college campus. In 1936, Arkansas State College added a Reserve Officers Training Corps. With this new addition, the program needed a building to have classes. Talk for the new building began in the summer of 1937 when the Board of Trustees began planning how the funds should be budgeted for the project. The building was built as part of the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works project as part of the New Deal...

The Arkport Central School in Arkport NY is a K-12 public school that is still in use. The Public Works Administration made two grants, of $63,000 and $9,654, against a planned cost of approximately $192,000.

Arlington Heights Senior High School was one of five monumental high schools built in Fort Worth, Texas through the Public Works Administration (PWA). It was designed by local architect Preston M. Geren and built by Butcher and Sweeney in 1936-37 in the Georgian Revival style. The three-story central block is flanked by one-story arcaded wings. The landscape improvements were designed by Hare & Hare of Kansas City, MO and implemented by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The large campus was given a park-like treatment with a formal reflecting pool in front of the school and a long vista extending south from the rear. Also...

The Arlington Memorial Bridge across the Potomac River was completed in 1932, but considerable finishing work remained to be done at each end.  In late 1933, the Washington Post reported that $32,000 was appropriated for the Public Works Administration (PWA) to construct retaining walls for the approaches and sidewalks leading to the bridge on the east (DC) side of the river. The work would have almost certainly been completed in 1934. The wonderful statues on the bridge approach have only a minor New Deal dimension: plans for the statues were drawn up in the 1920s, plaster casts were made in the...

"The Quartermaster Corps of the Army designed and constructed this chapel at Fort Myer and also built the new entrance gateway to the National Cemetery. The chapel is used for religious services at the post and also for rites in the cemetery. It is a brick building with wood cornice, an entrance porch of four stone columns, and a wood spire which rises to a height of 97 feet. The gateway with its brick posts, wide iron gates, and iron lamps ties into the wall surrounding the cemetery. The chapel was completed in May 1935. The P.W.A. allotment for it...

The Pennsylvania National Guard armory building at W Allen St. and 15th St. in Allentown was originally constructed in the late 1930s as a New Deal project. The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $40,000 grant for the project, whose total cost was $122,779. Primary construction occurred in 1936-7. PWA Docket No. 1847.

The Clearfield Armory was constructed in 1937-8 as a New Deal project. The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $29,118 grant for the project, whose total cost was $91,324. PWA Docket No. PA 1810.

The Coraopolis Armory was constructed in 1938 as a New Deal project. The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $34,908 grant for the project, whose total cost was $105,572. PWA Docket No. PA 1850.

The Lewisburg Armory was constructed in 1937-8 as a New Deal project. The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $28,726 grant for the project, whose total cost was $88,543. PWA Docket No. PA 1852.

The Williamsport Armory was constructed in 1937-8 as a New Deal project. The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $16,000 grant for the project, whose total cost was $47,896. PWA Docket No. PA 1822.

The former Ligonier Armory was constructed in 1937-8 as a New Deal project. The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $20,282 grant for the project, whose total cost was $63,948. The structure was demolished in the 2000s. PWA Docket No. PA 1835.

The historic Rock Island Armory was constructed with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds between 1936 and 1937. The PWA supplied a $147,272 grant for the project, whose total cost was $359,626. The structure was demolished in 2009; Schwiebert Park now occupies the former site of the building. PWA Docket No. IL 1195.

The former Tunkhannock Armory, which one article identifies as being on West Street*, was constructed with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA provided a $28,392 grant for the project, whose total cost was $84,956. Construction occurred between Dec. 1937 and Jul. 1938. *Wyoming County Press Examiner: "Arrangements have been completed for groundbreaking ceremonies of the new Tunkhannock Armory on West Street." Living New Deal believes the old armory to be the privately-owned structure at 55 West Street (see photo); the site is consistent with the following description of the property (PA.us): Beginning at an iron pipe monument situate...

The bridge carrying the Jamaicaway over Huntington Avenue, near Brookline, was constructed with NIRA funds. The structure was renamed in 2017 for the sons of Boston Marathon bombing hero Carlos Arredondo.

The Annual Report of the Board of the Los Angeles Park Commissioners stated in their 1932-1933 report that the Arroyo Seco Parkway was at the time the third largest park in Los Angeles with 276.1 acres. "A new roadway was built by the Reconstruction Finance Corporation some 1800 feet long which involved the removal of 2000 cubic yards of dirt and the installation of 2600 feet of curbing. General grading consisted of widening and straightening the river channel, placing rip-rap on both banks and using the dirt to fill in areas for lawn and buildings. A group of service buildings...

Both the WPA and the PWA along with a number of local agencies were involved in the construction of the Arroyo Seco Parkway which was mostly completed by 1940. It is 8.2 miles long with 18 bridges. "The Arroyo Seco Parkway (Pasadena Freeway) was the first divided-lane, high-speed, limited-access road in the urban western United States and the first stretch of road for what would become the extensive Los Angeles freeway network. The approximately six-mile initial stage of the 8.2-mile roadway, completed in 1940, was envisioned as both a scenic road traversing the Arroyo and a vital traffic conduit linking the...

"Originally called Artesia Memorial Hospital when built in 1939 by WPA/PWA funds, it is still in use today. Additions were made in the early 1940's and the most recent renovations and additions finalized in the mid 1960's." -Treasures on New Mexico Trails

The PWA built an addition of several classrooms onto the rear of the original 1920s building. The building is in an abstracted Colonial Revival style. The addition was designed by Traficante & Niebuhr of East Providence. After being retired from school use, in housed administration offices, but is now vacant.

The Brooklyn school J.H.S. 234, presently Arthur W. Cunningham Junior High School, was constructed with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds.

The Ashland Elementary School in Ashland KS is an elementary school built in 1937 with Public Works Administration funding. This is a two story red brick building with a flat roof and parapet. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and it is still in use.

Ashmont St. in Boston, Mass. underwent reconstruction as part of a Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project.

Then known as Auburn State Prison, the Auburn Correctional Facility received a sizable expansion as a result of a $226,000 federal Public Works Administration grant during the 1930s. PWA Federal Docket No. 3248 (NY). Specific construction included "accommodations for inmates, incinerator, connecting corridors and guard house."

Auburn, Nebraska's central school offices was constructed as high school as part of a federal Public Works Administration (PWA) project. The PWA provided a grant of $59,413 for the project, whose total cost was $132,306. Construction occurred between Dec. 1937 and Dec. 1938. PWA Docket No. Neb. 1301