Public Works Administration (PWA) Sites

Helen Tangires writes, "During the New Deal, public markets were vital to government efforts to reduce agricultural surplus in the countryside and high food prices in the cities. Under the direction of Fiorello LaGuardia, New York's mayor from 1934 to 1945, municipal architects working in the Department of Markets developed a series of enclosed market houses to replace pushcart markets." With funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA), New York City's Department of Public Markets constructed partially enclosed market sheds, and revitalized former pushcart markets including the Washington Public Market ("Public Markets" by Helen Tangires). The market burned down in the 1950s,...

A plaque on the corner of the vacant Washington school in Shawnee, Oklahoma says that the building was a project of the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, which was the New Deal program that became known as the Public Works Administration (PWA). The Oklahoma Historic Preservation Survey, however, lists the school as a WPA property. The construction project was completed in 1937. During the 1980s, the school housed all Shawnee fifth graders. In the late 1990s, the building was shut down and boarded up. The description for Washington School on Waymarking.com reads as follows: "This is a two-story brick building with a one-story wing on the...

Pittsburgh's historic Washington Trade School / Washington Education Center building was built in 1936-7 as a New Deal project: the Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $211,689 grant for the project, whose total cost was $484,114. "The Charles W. Bier-designed structure opened on September 1, 1937." It is no longer in service as a school. PWA Docket No. PA 1303

ThePublic Works Administration (PWA) funded the construction 0f the Washington-Liberty High School. According to the school's history page, "In 1938 with PWA funds, another addition" to Washington Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia "was completed. A PWA plaque is located in W-L's present library."  

Columbus, Ohio received a new wastewater treatment facility on Jackson Pike during the Great Depression. The facility was constructed as a federal Public Works Administration (PWA) project. The PWA supplied a $460,000 loan and $1,083,756 grant toward the eventual $4,029,946 total cost of the project. Work occurred between July 1934 and June 1938. "The plant consisted of influent head works with screens and pumping, four grit chambers with dedicated/integrated primary tanks, eight aerators, and eight final clarifiers. Solids handling consisted of eight anaerobic digesters, sludge drying vacuum filters and one multiple-hearth sludge incinerator. Treatment capacity was rated at 50 MGD." (Columbus.gov) (PWA...

A waterworks and heat-infrastructure construction project in Plankinton, South Dakota was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $30,276 grant for the project, whose total cost was $70,353. Work occurred between October 1936 and July 1937. (PWA Docket No. SD 1033)

A waterworks and sewer construction project was undertaken in Proctorville, Ohio during the Great Depression with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA provided a $43,500 loan and $15,347 grant; the total cost of the project was $60,941. Construction occurred between February and June 1934. (PWA Docket No. OH 589)

A waterworks/sewer construction project in Caliente, Nevada was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $15,750 grant for the project, whose total cost was $61,304. Work occurred between January and December 1936. (PWA Docket No. NV 2904)

A waterworks/sewer construction project in Carlin, Nevada was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $77,800 loan and $22,574 grant for the project, whose total cost was $101,906. Work occurred between July 1934 and January 1935.  

A joint waterworks and sewer construction project in Mesa, Arizona was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $50,000 loan and $40,909 grant; the total cost of the project was $91,038. Work occurred between November 1938 and September 1939. (PWA Docket No. AZ 8844)

A substantial waterworks and sewer system construction project was undertaken in Moab, Utah during the Great Depression with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA provided a $32,000 loan and $13,118 outright grant to the community for the project, whose total cost was $49,391. Construction occurred between December 1934 and May 1935. PWA Docket No. UT 1951 On January 4, 1934, the Times-Independent newspaper reported that the Moab water/sewer project had been approved by federal officials, which also funded the Moab public school building and Grand County courthouse.  Local voters had previously approved a bond issue in support of...

A waterworks and sewer construction project in Mount Kisco, New York was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $17,773 grant; the total cost of the project was $39,843. Work occurred between December 1935 and July 1936. For another project, the PWA supplied a grant of $27,720 for a well construction project in Mount Kisco whose final cost was $62,078. Construction occurred between December 1935 and September 1937. (PWA Docket Nos. NY 1105, 1131)

A waterworks and sewer system construction project was undertaken in Pryor Creek, Oklahoma during the Great Depression with the assistance of a federal Public Work Administration (PWA) grant. The PWA provided a $27,202 grant to the city for the project, whose eventual total cost was $54,656. Construction occurred between December 1938 and December 1939. PWA Docket No. OK 1325.

A waterworks and sewer construction project in Yankton, South Dakota was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA provided a $29,250 loan and $9,774 grant for the project, whose total cost was $43,945. Work occurred between September 1934 and May 1935. The PWA supplied a $14,222 grant for a second waterworks project, total cost $33,546, that was undertaken between April and June 1936. The PWA supplied a $24,540 grant for a third waterworks project, total cost $54,534, that was undertaken between November 1937 and March 1938. (PWA Docket Nos. SD 2526, 1040, 1189)

A water disposal plant in Sabetha, Kansas was constructed with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA provided a $10,500 grant for the project, whose total cost was $37,776. Construction occurred between Jul. and Dec. 1934. The location and status of this facility is unknown to Living New Deal. (PWA Docket No. KS 2119)

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded the construction of a new water supply reservoir and filtration plant for Santa Barbara.  Both facilities still exist and still function. Short and Stanley-Brown described the project in 1939: "This project consisted of the concrete reservoir with a capacity of 50,000,000 gallons and the filtration plant with a capacity of 8,000,000 gallons per day from which the filtered and softened water is pumped into the distributing system of Santa Barbara. Monolithic concrete is particularly well done in California and this plant is no exception." 

A water main construction project was undertaken in Ishpeming, Michigan with Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project funds. The P.W.A. supplied a $76,091 grant for the project, whose total cost was $178,525. Construction occurred between Feb. 1936 and Sept. 1937. PWA Docket No. MI 1125

A water main construction project in Angola, New York was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $20,944 grant; the total cost of the project was $46,742. Work occurred between May and October 1936. (PWA Docket No. NY 1189)

A water main construction project in Avon, New York was undertaken with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $5,750 loan and $2,304 grant toward the $7,490 total cost of the project. Work occurred during September 1935. (PWA Docket No. NY 6068)

A water main construction project was undertaken in Blaine, Washington with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. Construction occurred in 1934. PWA Docket No. WA 2372

1939 MDC annual report: "Contract No. 128, P.W.A. Docket No. Mass. 1516-F — Mass. State Project No. D-203, was made with M. DeMatteo Construction Company of Roslindale on October 18, 1938 for the sum of $187,617.50, and was accepted by the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works on October 20, 1938. The work on this contract comprised the furnishing and laying of about 11,000 linear feet of 36-inch steel water pipe for reinforcing Southern High-service Pipe Lines to Milton, Quincy and the Dorchester District of Boston." "The work on this contract was completed on October 6 at a total expenditure of $223,377.59." The W.P.A....

A water main construction project in Brookline, Mass. was undertaken with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. PWA Docket No. MA 1759

A water main construction project in Buchanan, New York was undertaken with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $74,000 loan and $26,173 grant; the total cost of the project was $98,676. Work occurred between October 1934 and September 1935. (PWA Docket No. NY 3667)

The federal Public Works Administration provided grants to the town of Charlestown, New Hampshire for the development of its water system through the construction of water mains. The BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS in the 1936 town report noted: PWA WATER PROJECT Receipts From Town of Charlestown $12,000.00 U. S. Government July 17, First Grant 5,454.50 U. S. Government Oct. 23, Second Grant 2,181.80 Water Dept. advance in anticipation of Final Grant 1.550.00 $21,196.30 Expenditures 15,802 ft. 6" cast iron pipe @ 74^ less freight $10,445.02 Freight on above and other freight charges 1,286.39 Pay roll 5,955.94 Trucking 75.43 Hydrants and valves 1,406.25 Cast iron fittings 193.19 Copper pipe and fittings 549.26 Lead, jute, and misc. pipe...

A water main construction project in East Bank, West Virginia was undertaken with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $10,600 loan and $3,968 grant toward the $14,568 eventual total cost of the project. Work occurred between Aug. and Oct. 1934. PWA Docket No. 2199

A water main construction project in Fredonia, Arizona was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $18,500 loan and $31,500 grant; the total cost of the project was $70,675. Work occurred between September 1938 and June 1939. (PWA Docket No. AZ W1036)

A water main construction project in Ithaca, New York was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $12,447 grant; the total cost of the project was $27,742. Work occurred between October 1935 and May 1936. (PWA Docket No. NY 1052)

A water main construction project was undertaken in Kettle Falls, Washington with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. Construction occurred during 1935. PWA Docket No. WA 5699

A water main construction project was undertaken in McPherson, Kansas with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied an $11,461 grant toward the $40,585 total cost of the project. Work occurred between December 1933 and October 1934. (PWA Docket No. KS 1077)

A water main construction project in Minot, North Dakota was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $9,000 grant for the project, whose total cost was $18,645. Work occurred between November 1938 and June 1939. (PWA Docket No. ND X1207) Additionally, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) also constructed water mains in Minot between 1936 and 1938, as evidenced by municipal archive imagery.

A water main construction project was undertaken in Naches, Washington with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. Construction occurred during 1935. PWA Docket No. WA 2959

A water main construction project in New Bedford, Mass. was undertaken with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. PWA Docket No. MA 2038

A water main construction project in North Andover, Mass. was undertaken with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. PWA Docket No. MA 1990

A water main construction project was undertaken in Oakley, Kansas with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. (PWA Docket No. KS 1394)

A water main construction project in Pleasantville, New York was undertaken with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $9,000 loan and $2,743 grant toward the $10,993 total cost of the project. Work occurred between June and September 1934. (PWA Docket No. NY 4031)

A water main construction project was undertaken in Port Orchard, Washington with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. Construction occurred during 1936. PWA Docket No. WA 1174

A water main construction project in Saranac Lake, New York was undertaken with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied an $11,000 loan and $4,095 grant; the total cost of the project was $15,632. Work occurred between July and October 1934. (PWA Docket No. NY 3440)

A water main construction project in Scribner, Nebraska was undertaken with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. PWA Docket No. 1730

A water main construction project in Sundance, Wyoming was undertaken as a federal Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project during the Great Depression. PWA Docket No. WY 1035

A water main construction project was undertaken in WaKeeney, Kansas with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. Construction occurred between November 1934 and January 1935. (PWA Docket No. KS 2118)