“The American Legion Hall represents the success of local residents and federal relief programs administered on Colorado’s eastern plains during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Providing much-needed employment in Kiowa County, local workers constructed the building between 1937 and… read more
The Works Progress Administration built the grandstand at the Arizona State Fair grounds in Phoenix. “As the Great Depression deepened and thousands were uprooted and looking for work, numerous fairgrounds were turned into camps for these transients. The Arizona State… read more
“The stables, constructed in 1938 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), are an important record of the federal relief programs administered on Colorado’s eastern plains during the Great Depression. The stables were one of a series of WPA improvement projects… read more
“Projects completed by the WPA included … improving the Box Butte County Fairgrounds (BX04-026) …”
In the early 1930s, the Buffalo County Fair was in dire straits. It went broke and was taken over by the County Farm Bureau, and thence was taken over by the newly formed Buffalo County Fair Board. In 1936, the… read more
The California State Fair was established at this location in 1909. The WPA worked on the site during the 30s, most likely on the 75 acre expansion of the grounds in 1937. The fair, however, has since moved to a… read more
In August 1938, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) gave Cedar County a grant for the improvement of the county fairgrounds at Hartington. The grant amounted to $8,040.00.
The WPA allocated $15,019 for improvements at the Chouteau County fairgrounds in Fort Benton, Montana in August 1938.
This Fair Barn/Civic Center in Horton, Kansas was constructed by the WPA in 1937-39. W.O. “Tutes” Thomas was the designer and head of construction. The building is still in use for municipal functions and celebrations.
The Works Progress Administration built the Exhibit & Auction Building at the Clinton Fairgrounds in Clinton OK. Contributor note: “This is a two-story building, with randomly laid native sandstone walls. The roof is flat and the windows are casement units with stone sills… read more
The Works Progress Administration built the Livestock Exhibit Building at the Clinton Fairgrounds in Clinton OK. Contributor Note: “This is a one-story brick livestock building, with a shallow gabled roof. The lower 30 inches of the walls are native sandstone, and large… read more
“The fairgrounds have long been a gathering place for the state’s agricultural community and have also served as a vehicle to educate, promote and entertain the public about Colorado agriculture. Since 1901, farmers and stock men and women have come… read more
The WPA allocated $16,326 at the end of 1938 to make improvements to the Phillips County Fairgrounds in Dodson, Montana. Gary Winthorpe: “These fairgrounds were actually completed in 1942, not 1939 [as Living New Deal originally posted]. They continued to… read more
“The Crawford County Fairground property currently includes the WPA grandstand and four agricultural buildings plus a series of other animal shelters and associated structures, compactly arranged in neat rows at the center of the property. A dirt road enters the… read more
The Big Timber Pioneer newspaper reported in 1938: “The irrigation project for the Dawson county fairgrounds is under way. WPA workmen are laying pipe and building a house for installation of pumping equipment on the Yellowstone river with a capacity… read more
The Del Mar Fairgrounds project is unique in that it is the only WPA incorporated and built race-track. It was meant to be an economic stimulant for the county. The racetrack was also built with the expectation of providing fairgrounds… read more
Although the El Dorado County Fair was first held in 1859, it moved to this location in 1939. The property was purchased by the state of California, and federal funds were used to finance construction on the property: "The W.P.A…. read more
The WPA photo shown here shows the new Firemen’s Building constructed for the Erie County Fairgrounds. The building remains in place today and “houses antique fire engines and other artifacts” (www.ecfair.org)
This cast stone sculpture by Donal Hord was funded by the PWAP in 1934. The sculpture depicts a man crouching behind a wheel filled with gears and is variously known as “Man and the Wheel” or “Wheel of Industry” or… read more
WPA Bulletin, 1937: “Athol — In horse-and-buggy days when sulky racing was the vogue, Athol fair grounds was a mecca for thousands of horse lovers, race fans and devotees of the old-time cattle show. For many years the grounds had… read more
“This WPA-constructed building stands at 500 E. Choctaw, just east of Hwy. 81 in historic Chickasha, which is located on what was once the famous Chisholm Trail. This is a large one and two-story native sandstone building built in 1940,… read more
“The Livestock Exchange Building is located on the Grady County Fairgrounds, at 500 E. Choctaw, east of downtown Chickasha. The primary fairground buildings are this livestock arena, and an administration building to the north. The livestock building was originally constructed… read more
During the Depression, the WPA spent $465,000 for buildings and other improvements at the fairgrounds. Which exact buildings were WPA and their current status is unknown to the Living New Deal.
This building was originally built as a mining exhibit hall for the 20th Agricultural District Fairgrounds. It became the first Placer County Museum in 1948. The WPA built much of the rest of the Gold Country Fairgrounds as well.
“Grand Forks County Fairgrounds WPA Structures is a collection of five structures within the Grand Forks County Fairgrounds in Grand Forks, North Dakota, that were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.[2] The structures are the fairgrounds… read more
“When Franklin D. Roosevelt took presidential office in 1933, the Great Depression was in its fourth year. He was elected partly because he promised relief for the common man. He enacted the New Deal programs and the Works Progress Administration,… read more
In 1939, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) approved several improvements at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds on the north edge of Ferndale CA. According to the WPA project card, the work entailed moving the pavilion and stock buildings, improving the grandstand… read more
Multiple New Deal agencies: the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) and the Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) contributed to the development of the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Projects included the Coliseum, WPA Barns, and a WPA Tunnel.
“Architect Merritt Harrison considered this building his finest creation. PWA (Public Works Administration) funds made it possible for the Fair Board to build this structure, which was to be a “Livestock Pavilion.” Harrison used tan brick and Indiana limestone on… read more
“Built by WPA as an example of an ideal modern farmhouse and later used as an officer’s club during WW II. Built of concrete block, the house includes an attached garage, wiring, plumbing, and other modern conveniences.”
“This building was originally constructed by the WPA in 1936 as an exhibition hall. From this area behind the Home and Family Arts Building you can see the upper floor living quarters for seasonal fair workers. Also, this open parking… read more
“The State Fair Board has recently restored a number of these wooden buildings. They were all built with WPA funds. The WPA was one of several of FDR’s New Deal alphabet soup programs designed to help jobless workers during the… read more
“Built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the tunnel provided a way for automobiles to park in the infield.”
The WPA undertook extensive construction and improvements at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in the mid 1930s. The Iowa State Fair information page describes the history of the site and the extent of the work carried out by the WPA: “Extensive improvements… read more
The Works Progress Administration built the Johnson County Fairground in Franklin IN.
Works Progress Administration (WPA) workers built the Bison Arena at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. Other WPA-built improvements included “upgrading the fair’s sewer, rebuilding the Old Mill ride with permanent fireproof concrete, and putting in a reinforced concrete stage and basement… read more
The official birth of the Kern County Agricultural Fair was on August 5, 1916. It was located on 106 acres at Chester Avenue, two blocks north of 34th Street and just south of the Kern River Bridge. There were no… read more
Kings County Fairgrounds in Hanford received extensive improvements from Works Progress Administration (WPA) workers in the 1930s. What exactly was done and what remains of the work is unknown. Photos are of the present fairgrounds.
The Works Progress Administration built the County Fair Exhibition Building at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds in Tyler, MN.
The Los Angeles County Fair was first held in 1922. New Deal agencies extensively improved the grounds in the 1930s. “The Improvements at the Los Angeles County Fair Grounds, W.P. No. 243, W.P. 4456, W.P. 5546, W.P. 9264, W.P. 9562… read more