Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) Sites

Town annual report: The following work has been done under projects, since April, 1934: Painting Outside of Town Hall, six men, 1 foreman. Total payroll: 1516.00

The Civil Works Administration (C.W.A.) and/or Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) made repairs and other improvements to Ashland, Massachusetts's town hall in 1934. "The interior of the Town Hall has been renovated extensively, and several changes made that have been a great improvement in the building." The E.R.A. repaired/replaced the building's heating plant in 1934. Concrete stairs and walks were installed at the building soon after, and the W.P.A. painted the building's exterior in 1937.

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

The federal Civil Works Administration (C.W.A.) and Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) furnished the cost of labor for the painting—interior and exterior—Hatfield, Massachusetts Town Hall. The project employed two painters between March 1 and July 15, 1934. The C.W.A. paid $203.40 for the labor for the month of March, and F.E.R.A. contributed $586.20. The Town of Hatfield supplied only $169.45, the cost of materials for the project.

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) worked to improve the parking lot at Town Hall in Carver, Massachusetts.

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) conducted improvement work at what was the Town of Maynard's first owned town hall ("town house") building. The exact location and status of the facility is presently unknown to Living New Deal.

The Civil Works Administration funded municipal improvements in Acton ME between 1933 and 1940.  Acton is a rural town (1930 population 449) in York County situated next to the New Hampshire border.   

In 1934, the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) provided about $400,000 for a homestead project in Putnam County, West Virginia, “Red House Farms” (soon-to-be called “Eleanor,” and not to be confused with the nearby town of Red House).  Red House Farms was one of three New Deal homestead projects in West Virginia, the others being Arthurdale and Tygart Valley Homesteads.  The goal of these homesteads was to provide a fresh start for rural Americans devastated by the Great Depression. A United Press article described the town’s beginning in May 1934. In addition to 150 homes, “Construction of the 1,728-acre tract includes...

Multiple New Deal agencies: the Civil Works Administration, Federal Emergency Relief Administration, and Works Progress Administration, helped to develop Canonsburg, Pennsylvania's Town Park in 1934—1936. In addition to constructing its pool and Park Drive, work relief workers—according to a local the submitter met during a visit in 2017—constructed paths and staircases, stone pillars at park entrances, walls, and picnic facilities. It is unclear exactly to what extent the original Depression-era structures have been preserved. The Works Progress Administration (WPA), "approved an appropriation of more than $10,000 to complete the bath house. Another $20,000 was approved for general improvement of the park...

Montpelier's 40th Annual Report details many roadwork projects undertaken in 1934 with Vermont Emergency Relief Administration (VERA) funds, including: "Town Hill Road, short section, excavation, stone base and graveling". In 1939 the Works Progress Administration (WPA) "resurfaced with gravel from Cutler Cemetery Road to East Montpelier line."

This building was formerly Miller Manufacturing Company Building. The building was constructed for a garment factory in 1911 which occupied the building until 1922. From c. 1933-1935 it served as the location of the local Transient Bureau of the FERA. It was converted into the Miller Lofts in 2009. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Oct 28, 2010.

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) worked to trim trees along Savery in Carver, Massachusetts in 1934.

Multiple New Deal agencies: the CWA, FERA, and WPA, worked to restore the historic Trent House in Trenton, New Jersey between 1934 and 1936. "The WPA work consisted of cleaning and pointing the brick on the Trent House and caretaker's home, painting work, building a wall surrounding the property, laying walks on the grounds, installing shutters inside the Trent House, and grading the grounds. WPA funds for the work were $9,081.89. The late J. Osborn Hunt was the architect of the work until his death, and he was succeeded by Samuel Mountford.

"Public Works Administration funds financed construction of the Tucson Plant Materials Center. Hispanic workers hired with Federal Emergency Relief Administration funds made the adobe blocks. The eight original buildings at the center were later assembled by Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees between 1935 and 1941. Designed according to the Pueblo Revival style which imitates early southwestern Native American and Spanish architecture, the buildings were constructed with flat roofs, rounded corners, vigas (exposed wooden roof beams), and rough-carved, wooden porches. Today only two buildings, the administration and the general utility building, remain. The Tucson Plant Materials Center was one of 48 nurseries...

The Tumacácori National Monument was set aside by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 to protect the ruins of the Mission of San Jose de Tumacacori.  In 1918, it came under the administration of the National Park Service and its regional 'custodian', Frank Pinkley.  Congress created the Tumacácori National Historic Park in 1990, adding the ruins of two nearby missions, Los Santos Angeles de Guevavi and San Cayetano de Calabazas. Under the park service's guidance, Tumacácori mission church and its dependencies were stabilized in 1920-21, but intentionally not restored.  Only with the aid of the New Deal did the park come to...

The Tumacácori National Monument was set aside by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 to protect the ruins of the Mission of San Jose de Tumacacori.  In 1918, it came under the administration of the National Park Service and its regional 'custodian', Frank Pinkley.  Congress created the Tumacácori National Historic Park in 1990, adding the ruins of two nearby missions, Los Santos Angeles de Guevavi and San Cayetano de Calabazas. Under the park service's guidance, Tumacácori mission church and its dependencies were stabilized in 1920-21, but intentionally not fully restored.  Only with the aid of the New Deal did the park come...

Tuzigoot is an ancient hilltop settlement of the Sinagua people, c 1100-1400 A.D.  It is one of the largest of scores of such settlements throughout the Verde River valley of Northern Arizona.  By the 20th century, the buildings on the site, made of stone and adobe, had fallen completely to ruin. The New Deal aided in the archeological reconstruction of the site in the early 1930s.  The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) began providing funds in October 1933 and this was continued under the Civil Works Administration (CWA) from November 1933 to June 1934.  This allowed for the hiring of two archeologists and...

Improvements were made to the Millbury, Massachusetts's old Union School (high school) building and grounds with the assistance of federal New Deal funds. The old high school is now the Mary Elizabeth McGrath Educational Center. The Civil Works Administration provided labor for a grounds grading project begun in 1933. At the same time Federal Emergency Relief Act funds enabled a retaining wall repair project and other building improvements, including the painting of the "outside woodwork." The federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) redecorated the interior of the building in 1937 and continued retaining wall reconstruction. The National Youth Administration conducted miscellaneous improvements...

"The lava rock Andrews Amphitheatre at the University of Hawai'I (1935) was designed by architect Ralph Fishbourne with Professor Arthur R. Keller serving as the consulting engineer. The University covered the $5,213 cost for materials while the FERA paid for the labor."

The CWA and ERA completed repairs and improvements in state institutions across Mississippi in 1934 and 1935. At the University of Mississippi, the interior and exterior of two women's dorms were painted, music hall and campus residence were repaired and repainted, and six other buildings improved. In addition, a new warehouse was constructed, fence, walks and press booths for the athletic field added, drainage structures installed across campus, 525 feet of sidewalk laid, and a dorm destroyed by fire was razed and material salvaged. The total expenditure for the work was $24,043.23.

Leavell Hall, was initially built as a men's dormitory housing 68 students. It is one of six dormitories constructed on campus with PWA funds during 1938. All six buildings remain and are in current use, or slated for renovation and resumption of use. Leavell was named for Dr. Richard Leavell, professor of philosophy and political economy from 1890-1909. "...conditions in Mississippi were worse than at any time since the Civil War (quoted in Harry Hopkins, 1936, Spending to Save: The Complete Story of Relief). With a state government in bankruptcy, Mississippi welcomed the federal funds that finally began to trickle down...

The main campus of the University of Puerto Rico was founded in 1903 in Río Piedras.  Part of the campus, including the athletic field, was built with the help of the PRRA. "In 1924 the Chicago firm of urbanists Bennett, Parsons and Frost were contacted to design a master plan for the future development of the University. It wasn’t until 1935, with the establishment of the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration (PRRA) and the large sum of federal funds that it invested for public works in Puerto Rico, that the partial design and construction of the so-called Plan Parson began. Under the supervision...

The Civil Works Administration and the Puerto Rico Emergency Relief Administration built the Radio and Hurricane Research Laboratory, at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras.

Multiple projects were "planned, staked out and supervised" by West Hartford's Engineering Department in 1935-6 utilizing Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) and/or Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) labor. One such project involved storm sewer construction "across the St. Joseph College property north of Asylum Avenue."

The State Teachers College in Hattiesburg received funding from ERA in 1934 and 1935 for improvements and repair to several buildings on campus. The school received $28,532.89 for repairing the hospital building, redecorating the interior of the library, renovating four campus cottages, placing flood-lights on the athletic field, refinishing floors in the president's home, and enlargements and alteration of the demonstration school gymnasium along with brick veneering of the exterior. the library was enlarged and improved. At least two of the buildings (president's home and demonstration gymnasium) are extant.

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) worked to develop and improve the playground at Seattle's Van Asselt School. A photo at the U of Washington shows a field of stumps and clearing efforts with the caption "State of Wash., E.R.A. - K.C.D., Project # 508, Dec. 28, 1933, Neg. No 47; Van Asselt School playfield." The Van Asselt school was built on donated land from the late 19th century from an early settler Henry Van Asselt, Built in 1909 - 1950. Rebuilt in 1950 - 2000. Closed in 2000 and moved to the current school a few blocks south.

Multiple projects were "planned, staked out and supervised" by West Hartford's Engineering Department in 1935-6 utilizing Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) and/or Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) labor. One such project involved storm sewer construction along Vera and Jessamine Streets.

Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) workers completed this camp in 1934. The camp was occupied by Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) workers in 1935. The camp consists of 14 sleeping cabins, a dining hall, restrooms, and a recreation building. The group camp is exceedingly rare, since most CCC living quarters were temporary and were removed after the CCC's departure. Furthermore, the remaining buildings appear to retain a high degree of architectural integrity. The style of the camp structures are classified as parks rustic.

Construction of Veterans Field was one of dozens of projects undertaken with federal labor at the beginning of the New Deal era during the 1930s. "In 1934, initial plans called for a skating/hockey rink, ball field, tennis court and a general playground, with the work to be performed by the Civil Works Administration (CWA) which later became the ERA, a program designed to 'give relief to needy people through direct work or work relief.' These work projects were later shifted to the Works Projects Administration (WPA). The North Avenue - Church Street project was one of 92 completed projects carried out...

The Veterans' Memorial Building was constructed in 1934-36 with financial aid from the federal Public Works Administration (PWA) and unemployed workers drawn from the State Emergency Relief Administration (SERA), which was funded largely by federal government assistance.   It is a beautiful example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, designed by local architect Rudolph Polley. It features a bell tower, a large auditorium, a serene courtyard and some interior detailing. It is in excellent condition to this day (2019). A park was laid out at the same time across the street, using county funds and probably relief workers, as well. The building (and park) passed...

Constructed by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) in 1934 as the village hall, this striking stone building is now privately owned.

The small, rural community of Bosque Farms lies about 18 miles south of Albuquerque and was one of the New Deal resettlement communities. The community's own website describes that history: "...In the 1920s, Otero sold his land in small lots to individuals, but due to the depression, which began 1929, the people were unable to make the payments. Otero repossessed the land, and in 1934 sold 2,420 acres to the New Mexico Rural Rehabilitation Corporation. The resettlement area was eventually taken over by the Federal Resettlement Administration (part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal) in 1935 and named the Bosque...

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) and the Civil Works Administration (CWA) funded improvements at the Virginia Avenue Playground in Washington DC. Today, the sire is called Virginia Avenue Park. The work consisted of the following improvements: CWA and FERA, 1933-1934, “Graded, fenced, running track 90 percent complete, old pavilion removed; roof reshingled, electric lights installed.” (Report of the Government of the District of Columbia 1935) FERA, 1934-1935, “Completed running track.” (Report of the Government of the District of Columbia 1936)

A vocational building was constructed at the Magee School Complex in Magee, Mississippi during the Great Depression using standard plans. The building was undertaken with the assistance of labor provided by Civil Works Administration (CWA), a job creation program established under the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA). The CWA was designed to provide temporary employment for manual laborers and was replaced with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) after 1934.

The Puerto Rico Emergency Relief Administration carried out repair and maintenance work on Vueltas Road in Las Marias.

W. C. Stripling Middle School was originally constructed as W. C. Stripling High School in 1927. In 1933-34, the grounds were landscaped by the Civil Works Administration (CWA), the Federal Emergency Relief Administration FERA), and the Texas Relief Administration. The landscaping was designed by Hare & Hare of Kansas City, MO.   It created a raised and level area on the north side of the school, held in place by a ~5-foot buff sandstone retaining wall (and steps). There are tennis courts above the wall and a football field with running track below.  It is not certain if those were part of...

The Walnut Creek Bridge in northern Yavapai County AZ was built in 1936 with the help of the New Deal.  It crosses Walnut Creek on FS95 and may have been built to improve access to the Prescott National Forest ranger station further up CR125, Walnut Creek Road. The bridge was built by the Arizona Highways Department using relief workers hired out of transient (homeless) camps along the Verde River, with the aid of Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) funds (probably via the Arizona Relief Administration). The design was done by Arizona Highways Bridge Engineer Ralph Hoffman, basically a concrete foundation on which...

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) conducted road improvement work in Dover, Mass., including the reconstruction of a 500-foot stretch of Walpole Street. "he raising of the grade of Walpole Street at the brook near the Zinsser Estate has greatly improved conditions there."

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) began and the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) completed improvement work at the former Wardwell Field airport. The airport, which was six miles north of Casper, is no longer extant; the former airport property is now the site of the town of Bar Nunn. Casper Star-Tribune: "The largest of all work relief projects was the new airport and runways at Wardwell field, completed at a cost of $93,357, itemized as follows: CWA, $46,809; ERA, $12,710; county, $33,838. Wardwell field six miles north on the Salt Creek highway ... The project included construction of an ample,...

A Boston Public Works Department report cited Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) labor as conducting the following work: "Warren and Charlestown Bridges, repairs to fender piers." Warren Bridge was demolished in 1962.