Civil Works Administration (CWA) Sites

The Durner-Fritzsche organ at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania's Liberty High School was constructed in 1933. "The organ was installed in 1933-34, answering to an invitation to bid advertised by Mr. Clifford F. Frey; Sec. School District of the City of Bethlehem. The instrument installed met the requirement in the bid advertisement for a "used instrument in guaranteed condition". The project was a joint effort by the fledgling Fritzsche Organ Co., (formerly the Durner Co.), Organ Supply Co. of Erie, PA and the Civil Works Administration of Northampton County (CWA)."

Now known as the National WWI Museum and Memorial, what was then the Liberty Memorial was the recipient of efforts on the part of multiple New Deal agencies. National Register of Historic Places nomination form: Numerous small-scale features are located throughout the site. While each feature alone may see insignificant, together they enhance the character of Liberty Memorial and contribute to the significance of the overall site. These features include stone steps, walks, and retaining walls; a brick and concrete swale; iron gates with stone walls; improvements at the Dedication Wall; lights and flagpoles. The stone features throughout the site consist of rubble stone,...

On November 9, 1933, President Roosevelt signed an Executive Order creating the Civil Works Administration (CWA) and providing $400 million from the Public Works Administration funds for the new organization. The goal of the Executive Order was to put four million of America’s unemployed to work by January 15, 1934. By November 16, 1933, all relief work beneficiaries and projects were transferred to the CWA. Within another month, well over two million people were already employed on CWA projects, and the CWA had advertised that funds were available for building projects. The Nehawka Public Library was no doubt one of...

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) constructed a one-room library in Beemer, Nebraska. Built with CWA and city funds, the former library was located on Main St., near Highway 8. The structure had "built-in shelves, coat closets, fuel, and closets for surplus magazines."

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) constructed the former Syracuse Public Library in Syracuse, NE. The town had applied for Public Works Administration funds for a new library building, but the application was not granted. The town purchased and demolished the Syracuse Congregational Church and the new building that replaced it became the public library. The library held 4,000 volumes in 1934. The government funds for labor and materials amounted to $1,908.75. The building is located at the northwest corner of Plum St. and 6th St.

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) constructed a public library in Willard, Ohio. The building opened in Jan. 1934. The location and status of this facility, which has since been replaced, is unknown to Living New Deal.

Multiple New Deal agencies assisted in the improvement of what was then the library for West Hartford, Connecticut. The former library is now privately owned. In 1933 the federal Civil Works Administration (C.W.A.) funded the labor for landscaping improvements and "the undertaking of odd jobs of carpentry, plumbing, electrical work and painting." In 1934: "With FERA labor and town "make work" help, it has been possible during the year to undertake a number of projects of various kinds. At the main library the exterior of the building and several rooms were painted; a bicycle rack was made; new electric lights were...

The 1933 town report mention a C. W. A. Project for the town library, a beautiful classic brick structure built in 1888. "The assistance for approximately twelve weeks of Miss Frances Busse and Miss Doris McMahan made it possible to accomplish some necessary work for which outside aid has been needed for some time. The first project was the moving of the card catalog into a larger cabinet, the old one being outgrown, and in a dilapidated state. As the cards were put into the new case any errors in filing were corrected. The catalog of juvenile books still remains in the...

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) provided labor to undertake numerous municipal improvements in Amherst, Ohio, among which was painting the community's historic library.

Annual municipal reports for the early 1930s show that the local library benefited from the CWA in 1933 and from the ERA in 1934. The reports also describe how the local library distributed many books during this period to CCC camps in Concord and elsewhere as well as to hospitals, clubs and schools.

The federal Civil Works Administration (C.W.A.) conducted "much needed repairs" to Dover Massachusetts's town public library building in 1933. Next year the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) regraded the library grounds.

Delaware utilized substantial federal resources in developing and improving its road network during the Great Depression. Among the dozens of projects undertaken by the federal Civil Works Administration (C.W.A.) during 1934 was construction along a route connecting Lincoln (south of Milford) and Shawnee (SW of Milford). The exact thoroughfare is unknown to Living New Deal. An average of 1,410 were put to work each week during 1934 as a result of the CWA's road, sidewalk, bridge, and other related infrastructure efforts in Delaware.  

The original Lincoln County Courthouse in Brookhaven, Mississippi was remodeled in 1933 by the Civil Works Administration. It was demolished in 1978-1979.

"As described later by the Park Commission, 'One of the largest projects, which involved the services of almost 2,000 men and many pieces of equipment was located at Lincoln Park. The Milwaukee River at this originally made a complete S-turn which caused ice jams and floods every spring. As a result of the program, the river was relocated, a large lagoon developed, and four islands constructed. The largest of the islands was connected to the mainland by two stone faced reinforced concrete bridges, to become part of the Milwaukee River parkway drive extending from Lincoln Park to Kletzsch Park."

"During the Depression, Mayor Sam Snively and Park Superintendent F. Rodney Paine took advantage of government funding to put unemployed men to work on projects in the city’s parks. Lincoln Park’s stone pavilion was built in 1934 with funds and labor from two of the earliest government relief programs—the Emergency Relief Administration (ERA) and the Civil Works Administration (CWA). Reportedly two dozen of the CWA laborers gave three days’ work without pay to get the Lincoln Park pavilion ready for the annual Midsummer Festival." (zenithcity.com)

In 1933-34, New Deal relief workers built trails in Lincoln Park. We do not know exactly which ones, but the work almost certainly included the stone-lined steps down to the beach – which are classic New Deal stonework -- and the picnic shelter looks typical of that era, as well (but may well have been rebuilt over time). A photo from the University of Washington digital collections shows workmen constructing a trail along a steep hillside (see below). The caption on the photo says, "State of Wash., E.R.A. K.C.D., Proj. 509, Dec. 26, 1933, Neg. No. 19; Lincoln Park."   ERA refers...

The field house at the former Lincoln Playground (now Joy Evans Park and Lincoln Capper Pool) was built by Civil Works Administration (CWA) relief workers in 1934. It appears to have been demolished and replaced by the Joy Evans Early Childhood Center. The design was brick Colonial Revival, the standard plan for field houses from the period. The Lincoln Playground field house was a notable example of its type and follows the design first established by Municipal Architect Albert L. Harris, whose work is closely identified with civic architecture in Washington, D.C. The Lincoln Playground field house was the only one of...

All 17 schoolhouses in Framingham, Massachusetts were painted, remodeled, and/or repaired with federally funded labor during the Great Depression. At the former Lincoln School the Civil Works Administration (C.W.A.) painted classrooms and repaired ceilings in 1933. Heating facilities and floors were improved in 1934. Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) funds also allowed for a new playground for the school that year. In 1936 the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.)  conducted numerous repairs, including varnishing interior woodwork; painting, both inside and out; patching ceilings; and re-pointing bricks. New concrete walkways were installed by the W.P.A. in 1937. A school addition project was completed by the...

Jefferson City, Missouri's Lincoln University received a $10,000 grant from the federal Civil Works Administration (CWA).

Casper Star-Tribune: "Convention and social sessions were transferred this afternoon to the Lions recuperation camp for undernourished children on Casper mountain. There in the new assembly and recreational building erected of logs as a CWA project, visitors also learned of the program through a talk given by A. Baker, Casper club member and a past district governor of the Lions. He reviewed both the history and the achievements of the camp, which ministers annually to between 60 and 70 deserving Casper children who are extended the benefits of wholesome and invigorating recreation combined with body-building food and care." The status and...

Delaware utilized substantial federal resources in developing and improving its road network during the Great Depression. Among the dozens of projects undertaken by the federal Civil Works Administration (C.W.A.) during 1934 was construction of a road at Little Heaven to Bay Road. Little Heaven is located north of Frederica on Route 1. An average of 1,410 were put to work each week during 1934 as a result of the CWA's road, sidewalk, bridge, and other related infrastructure efforts in Delaware.  

The first of the four known New Deal dams constructed in the Wapsipinicon watershed, the Littleton Dam, started as a locally funded project. Its construction was supported by the State Fish and Game Commission because the dam fit into the state’s 25-year conservation plan. As originally proposed in August 1933, the state would supply the materials for the dam and a local committee would raise the funds for the labor. Construction of the dam started around November 1, 1933, using locally funded labor. Within days, however, the Civil Works Administration (CWA) was established, and by the third week in November...

Several New Deal Agencies performed improvement work for the Livermore Falls School in Livermore Falls, between 1933 and 1940. The school was replaced in 1968 and abandoned in 2011 when Jay and Livermore Falls consolidated their school systems. 1933 "The CWA program which was started early this winter presented an opportunity to get some work done on the High School grounds. This will no doubt result in a great improvement in the appearance of this property and therefore be a real asset to the town." 1934 "Report of the School Committee The fiscal year ending February 1, 1935 was quite unusual in the experience of our schools....

The federal Civil Works Administration (CWA) constructed the Long Creek High School Gymnasium and the school's attendant recreational grandstand in Huntersville, North Carolina. "The Long Creek High School Gymnasium and Grandstand are the only surviving structures from the initial phase of Federally-assisted school construction in Mecklenburg County." The structures "are tangible reminders of how the New Deal relief programs changed rural life in Mecklenburg County." (cmhpf.org) "Long Creek High School opened in 1923 as part of a program of comprehensive school consolidation in Mecklenburg County.  The Long Creek High School Gymnasium and Grandstand were constructed in 1934 initially under arrangements approved...

A Boston Public Works Department report cited Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) labor as conducting the following work: "Longfellow Bridge, repairs to parapet walls."

The WPA, the PWA and the CWA were all involved in working on the LSU campus from 1934 through the late 1930s. As Professor Robert Leighninger Jr. explains in Building Louisiana: "On a typical day I used to drive to work at Louisiana State University (LSU) past a lake reclaimed from swampland by WPA workers... Parker Coliseum (also a WPA project) at the southeastern edge of campus. As I entered the campus, I passed the Student Health Center (WPA) and Himes Hall (a PWA classroom building). Turning into my parking lot, I passed the northern enclosure of the football stadium (WPA). If...

Lowery Field is a multi-use recreation field with 4 baseball diamonds, a football field, a basketball court and a playground. The state archives show a picture baseball field that was built by the Civil Works Administration or Alabama Relief Administration.

Delaware utilized substantial federal resources in developing and improving its road network during the Great Depression. Among the dozens of projects undertaken by the federal Civil Works Administration (C.W.A.) during 1934 was road construction "Lowes X Roads to Newfound." The exact location of these projects is unknown to Living New Deal, though Lowes Crossing Road is highlighted on the map below. An average of 1,410 were put to work each week during 1934 as a result of the CWA's road, sidewalk, bridge, and other related infrastructure efforts in Delaware.  

The Reno Main Post Office no longer occupies this building and has moved to a location on Vassar Street.  The original post office (the subject of this post) was sold to a local development group in August 2012 and, after extensive and careful renovations, is now being leased as a "modern workspace" for businesses. "Designed by Frederick DeLongchamps in 1932, this post office is one of the best examples of Art Deco design, specifically Zig-Zag Moderne, in Nevada. MacDonald Engineering constructed the building, with the assistance of the Civil Works Administration (CWA), one of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal programs. The...

Oakwood Cemetery in Parsons, Kansas was improved by work undertaken by the Civil Works Administration (CWA). "Plans of the commissioners call for employing ... 64 on laying new water lines on West Main preparing for the new pavement ... They will start digging ditches along the side of the street. The old water lines were laid in the center of the street and they will be removed when the old pavement is torn up."

The federal Civil Works Administration (CWA) widened Main Street in Corbin, Kentucky.

Now known as the Malvern Hills Pool, the Civil Works Administration (CWA) and Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) supplied labor for the construction / improvement of what was called the Horney Heights Swimming Pool, named for a development of the same name in West Asheville. The pool is operated by Asheville City Pools. Regarding CWA/ERA work in North Carolina: "Twenty-one concrete swimming pools, equipped with filtering systems (not including the pool at Asheville which was almost completed when transferred to WPA)."

“The CWA was implemented to deal with expected high employment. The president believed Many Americans would starve unless given a chance to work in the program. The plan included a specific amount of money and time, and it was under FERA in the winter of 1933-1934. Later, the WPA finished projects begun by the FERA or the CWA. In Oklahoma this resulted in the construction of the Mangum Community Building and the Purcell City Building.” --Leaning on a Legacy

The Civil Works Administration and the Federal Emergency Relief Administration built the Arizona State Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Tempe, Maricopa County, in 1934. Also known as the Maricopa County Welfare Sanitarium, the facility was initially built as a 60-room sanatorium. The structure was located on the same site where today stands the Arizona State University Climatology Office, at the intersection of Curry Road and Mill Avenue. The building was designed in Moorish Revival architectural style, and it featured a dome, minarets, and arched windows. According to Jared Smith, a curator at the Tempe History Museum, the building had a large basement...

Marvel Park in Parsons, Kansas was improved by work undertaken by the Civil Works Administration (CWA). The Parsons Sun: "There is no doubt about what the project is doing for the city's park system. As this particular project nears completion it is evident that Marvel park is being made much more attractive because of it and of primary importance is the fact that this Improvement paves the way for the connecting of Marvel and Forest parks, a dream that has been In the minds of civic leaders for years. Some day, perhaps, the two parks will he joined into one,...

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) put more than 100 men to work developing Mary E. Lee Park (sometimes called Lake Nasworthy Park) in San Angelo. Work included tree planting.

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) provided labor for the improvement of what was then the Matteawan State Hospital (now Fishkill Correctional Facility) in Beacon, New York.

Out of many small projects for Fresno County that came out of a Civil Works Administration expenditure of $10,548, was a project for "widening the Mason Road" briefly mentioned in the March 3, 1933 Clovis Independent. Note: The road is named after Charles N. Maxson, who in 1892 settled an 800-acre homestead located at the junction of Trimmer Road and a wagon trail leading to Watts Valley.

The federal Civil Works Administration (CWA) undertook improvement work (e.g., painting) at the McCreary County Courthouse in Whitley City, Kentucky.

President Roosevelt toured Jamestown, North Dakota in 1936, The New York Times reporting: " saw a new $17,000 auditorium more than large enough to hold the town's population, a current WPA project. It faces a stadium that was begun as a CWA operation and completed, together with an ornamental fence on the property, as an FERA project." The facilities were in what is known now as McElroy Park. The exact location of the stadium within McElroy Park and its present status are unknown to Living New Deal, though it might be what is now known as Jack Brown Stadium.