Parks and Recreation Sites

Concrete foundation, gabled roof. Historic photo indicates there was a 6th garage door south of present office entrance. Dormers originally flat-roofed. Constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1934.

Concrete foundation, wood shingles, gabled. Two stone fireplace chimneys. 1934 scratched in mortar in floor. Constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).

The Works Progress Administration constructed the Jacksonville Beach sea wall in Jacksonville BeachFL. The wall prevented beach erosion and provided protection against high tide. It was completed circa 1938.

The New York City Parks Department website provides a brief history of Jacob Riis Park: "260-acre Riis Park, stretching over a mile on the western section of the Rockaway Peninsula, was acquired by the city in 1913. In 1914, the beach was named for Danish-born photo journalist and social reformer Jacob August Riis, once a Queens resident. The original bathing pavilion was built in 1932 and could handle up to 8,000 users. In 1934, Commissioner Moses announced plans to upgrade Riis Park with a $1.7 million investment, including a new bathing pavilion, parking field, pitch-'n-put golf course, and a 40–foot wide...

"The most visible legacy of WPA projects in Milwaukee County was the parks system, which had more construction and landscaping during the WPA period than any other time in its history. WPA construction included six swimming pools, pavilions at Red Arrow and Brown Deer Parks, service buildings at Jacobus, Jackson and Whitnall Parks, the Botanical Garden administration building and golf club house at Whitnall Park, a bathhouse at Doctor's Park, a recreation center at Smith Park, new roads in nearly every park, and parkways throughout the county."

In early 1942, the WPA began work on a new park and playground to be operated jointly by the adjacent P.S. 40 (Samuel Huntington School) and the Department of Parks. A press release announcing the start of construction described the work to be accomplished: "Twenty-three one to two and a half story frame buildings are being demolished in preparation for the new development which will provide the following facilities: eight concrete surfaced handball courts, wading pool, brick comfort station, irrigated sand Pit and sitting area, seesaws, slides and swings for pre-school and older children, a pipe frame exercise unit, two large open...

James J. Walker Park was improved and extended circa 1935 with the help of the New Deal. The agency involved in funding and completing the work is unknown to the Living New Deal. During the 1930s Robert Moses used New Deal funding and labor, yet he  rarely credited New Deal agencies. New Deal plaques in New York parks are rare. For a detailed discussion see, Kermit Project, New Deal Assistance in NYC Parks Department Projects, 1934-43. The NYC Parks site describes the origins of the park: "Bordered by Hudson Street, Clarkson Street, St. Luke’s Place, and the Carmine Street Recreation Center,...

The WPA graded and surfaced the volleyball courts, graded and spread a new loam surface at the playground, painted bleachers, the Community House and outside fences, and re-landscaped.

Construction of baseball bleachers, installation of night lighting; painting and excavation--Mooser, p. 87.

Jane Addams High School, located in the southern Bronx, was constructed during the 1930s with federal Public Works Administration funds. It opened in 1937. The project was PWA Docket No. NY 1178. The school closed in 2012, and the building now houses two smaller charter schools. In 1935, the Department of Parks had also opened a new playground on the site with federal funds, most likely FERA and possibly CWA funds. It is unclear whether that playground became part of the school's recreational facilities, or whether it was demolished in order to build the school.  

The Civil Works Administration and the Federal Emergency Relief Administration funded improvements at the Janney Playground in Washington DC. The work consisted of building one or more new shelters.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built improvements within the picnic area from 1936-1938. The CCC constructed two shelters and a well. The well still remains and is commonly referred to as the "wishing well."

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructed a duck pond between 1934-35. The round lake is approximately 1 acre surrounded by concrete posts. In the center of the lake is a round island with stone lining.

These structures were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) between 1933 and 1934.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) did the initial development of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in the 1930s.  The major CCC contribution was the Jedediah Smith campground, which is just off state highway 199 west of the village of Hiouchi. The campground includes an amphitheater (called the Campfire Center) for ranger presentations to visitors.  It sits next to the small visitors' center in the campground. The Campfire Center contains a dozen or so banks of seats, carved from whole redwood logs and arranged in a semi-circle. It has a stone campfire pit, a modern chalkboard/screen, and a stone drinking fountain.  Because...

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) did the initial development of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in the 1930s.  The major CCC contribution was the Jedediah Smith campground, which is just off state highway 199 west of the village of Hiouchi. Engbeck (2002) notes that, "CCC Company 1903, of Camp Prairie Creek, built a new entrance road and a park custodian's residence. They built a campground near the Smith River with a footbridge over the river, connecting the campground with the ancient redwoods of the Stout Grove. The campground included tables, stoves, cupboards, and restrooms." The large campground is still there and in...

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) did the initial development of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in the 1930s. The area where the CCC did its work is along state highway 199, just west of the village of Hiouchi and a few miles east of Crescent City, California.  This remains the only significantly developed part of this large park, with its many groves of enormous, first-growth redwoods, such as Stout Grove. Engbeck (2002) notes that, "CCC Company 1903, of Camp Prairie Creek, built a new entrance road and a park custodian's residence. They built a campground near the Smith River with a...

In October 1942, the Washington Post reported the allocation of $19,627 to the Federal Works Agency (FWA) for new construction and improvements at the Jefferson Recreation Center adjacent to Jefferson Middle School in the city's southwest quadrant.  In a previous article in July 1942, the paper reported the allocation of five acres for a Southwest Sports Area at the same site, which must have become the Jefferson Recreation Center.  The site is now called simply "Jefferson Field".  Jefferson Field includes a baseball diamond, soccer field and tennis courts, plus what appears to be the original field house (with a modern ramp).  The Jefferson...

Collaborating with the Portland Public Schools, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) built a 1000 seat stadium for Jefferson High School in the summer of 1941.  The $14,000 project (1941 dollars) consists of an uncovered structure with restroom and concession facilities built in the rear.  The Oregonian, Portland’s morning newspaper, noted when the stadium structure was dedicated in October 1941 that the adjacent athletic field was also a WPA project, completed over the previous two years. Jefferson High School is notable as the high school of the historic African American community of north Portland.  Also worth noting is the 'mascot' of the...

"Jefferson Lake State Park was developed on 962 acres in the valley of the Town Fork of Yellow Creek. Land acquisition began in 1928. The lake and other facilities were constructed by the National Park Service in cooperation with the old Ohio Division of Conservation as a project of the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The dam was constructed in 1934 and the 17-acre lake was filled in 1946. In 1950, the area was turned over to the newly created Division of Parks and Recreation."

The municipal pool in Jefferson, Iowa was constructed with funds from the Works Progress Administration (WPA). It was opened to the public in July of 1937. One of over a dozen public pools constructed in Iowa with the aid of New Deal agencies and funds, the Jefferson Municipal swimming pool incorporated “the most modern equipment.” Its initial dimensions were 75 x 120 feet, with the tile and brick bathhouse standing at 22 x 88 feet. WPA officials and swimming pool designers took special care to equip New Deal pools with the latest engineering features. The pool included rounded corners to prevent injuries,...

The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is a large park along the Mississippi River maintained by the National Park Service. It contains the iconic St. Louis Gateway Arch. The construction of the park lasted for multiple decades. The WPA and the PWA were both involved in demolition and site preparation of the Memorial's 82-acre site from 1935 through the early 1940s. The initial need for development of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial with its iconic arch was the clearing of the buildings in the area of the development, saving as much historical information as possible. Additionally, there was the country’s largest “Hooverville”...

"This clubhouse was built by the city of Seattle in connection with one of its public golf courses that are included in the city park and recreation areas. The building has a small basement, a first floor, and a partial second floor. The heating plant occupies the basement; the first floor contains a spacious living room, locker rooms for men and women, a dining room, lunchroom, and kitchen facilities; and the second floor has quarters for the custodian. The basement and first floors are concrete, but otherwise this building is frame with exterior brick veneer walls....

Landscaped and built modern sprinkling system. Before the operation the site was in a rundown condition and badly in need of treatment. It is now thoroughly enjoyed by the neighborhood.--Healy, p. 59.

"Jelsma Stadium, constructed by the WPA, was selected by ESPN as No. 13 Best High School Stadium in the nation, in 2008. Lawrence Jelsma was a business and civic leader in Guthrie during the 1920s and 1930s. With his encouragement a $14,500 bond issue was passed and, together with funds from the WPA, this stadium was able to be built at a cost of $48,500. Unfortunately, Jelsma did not live to see the first game played here, as he passed away in 1934 at the age of 1941 from pneumonia. The amazing thing about this stadium is the 30-foot high native sandstone...

"In 1934, the Great Depression necessitated the consolidation of the city's 22 independent park agencies into the Chicago Park District. Using federal relief funds, the newly-created park district soon began work on Jensen Park. Site improvements included a wading pool, and tennis, volley ball, and basketball courts."

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructed Jensen Point in 1939, overlooking Route 66. The park closed to the public in the 1990s and reopened in 2016.

As researcher Frank da Cruz explains, "Jerome Park Reservoir has seven gatehouses: three offsite and four onsite such as the two shown here, the darker brick Gatehouse No.7 at left and the lighter brick Gatehouse No.5 at right. Gatehouses control the flow of water into and out of the reservoir via gates, sluices, and pumps and may also perform other functions such as filtering and chlorination. The original 1906 reservoir had gates and sluices but the buildings to contain them were not built as planned for lack of funds, which did not appear until the New Deal. The above-grade...

The reservoir itself dates to 1906, but, this report at nyc.gov describing the history of the reservoir and its surroundings explains that: ”The WPA funded a significant number of New York City projects relating to the water system, including surveys, water main installations, and the alteration, repair, and construction of buildings ... WPA work force moved into the area to complete many Reservoir repairs and new construction.“ As researcher Frank da Cruz documents here, in addition to repairs to the reservoir itself, "New construction included at least three, and possibly all seven, of the red brick and stone gate...

Contributor note: "Jim Thorpe Park is located off Highway 51 on the east side of Yale. It was primarily a landscaping project. Drives bisect the park in both directions. Today, it is an active area, however, most of the recreational venues post-date the WPA. Evidence of the WPA work can be seen on the west side of the park. Just north of the swimming pool is a picnic area. The tables and benches are made of concrete and small rocks, with concrete tops. To the northwest of this is an area which contains three small picnic tables and two rock fire pits,...

Between 1936 and 1939 the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) built the Jim Thorpe Stadium Complex at Shawnee High School in Shawnee, Oklahoma. In 2010 Shawnee voters approved a $3 million bond issue in order to renovate part of the complex. As a result the WPA-constructed rock wall and a sandstone clubhouse that had been built later were demolished. Hamquilters Waymarking webpage for the Jim Thorpe Stadium describes it in the following way: "...This stadium...is built with steel reinforced concrete and brick. It stands 24 tiers on the field side. All of the stadium windows have been covered with wood. The lower windows...

The land for what is now the John Allen Payne Park was acquired in 1940. "It is one of more than a dozen parks and playgrounds that line the highway now known as the Gowanus Expressway" (NYC Parks). The WPA and the Department of Parks announced the beginning of work on a playground at the site in October 1941. The press release explained that, when completed, the playground would contain: Irrigated sand pit Seesaws Slides 1 pipe frame exercise unit 4 shuffleboard courts Brick comfort station Concrete wading pool 1 combination volleyball and basketball court 3 paddle tennis courts with removable posts and nets Roller skating area 6 concrete surfaced handball courts The...

With establishment of the Emergency Conservation Work (ECW) program in 1933, better know as the Civilian Conservation Corp. (CCC) resources became available to develop facilities for the park. Civilian Conservation Corp. Co. 553 SP-16 arrived at John Bryan in June 1935 to begin six years of work.  The men laid out roads and blazed miles of trails (including the Pittsburgh–Cincinnati Stagecoach Trail preserving portions of a 19th century wagon-road). Also, enrollees built two foot-bridges across the Little Miami River.  One bridge featured a dam that, when closed, created a “swimming hole.” The workers also erected the park office, two picnic...

The federal Work Projects Administration conducted some fire prevention work at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary (then a bird sanctuary) and neighboring Tobey Beach in southern Nassau County during the 1930s. WPA Official Project No. 665-21-2-440.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) completed reforestation and improvement work at the John Henry Kirby Memorial State Forest. The work included tree planting and timber stand improvement—a forest management method that supports tree growth. The CCC also built a residence, park roads and bridges, fire breaks, and a fire lookout tower. The John Henry Kirby Memorial State Forest was founded in 1929, when lumber baron John Henry Kirby donated 639 acres of land to the Texas Forest Service. When the land was deeded to the State of Texas, the forest on the property had been cut off. The CCC's work sought to remedy the impact of intensive...

Outdoor theater, seating capacity of 350. "The theater was built by the Civil Works Administration (Project Number 5) and was dedicated on 22 April 1934. That same year, the park commission reported that the 'CWA funds not only provided much needed relief to the unemployed, but also gave to the citizens of Berkeley a new means of cultural recreation.'"

“In 1930, the Henderson Audubon Society requested $100,000 from the Federal government to help construct an Audubon Museum. The Society had a large and growing collection of Audubon artifacts that needed proper housing. National interest in the works of Audubon had increased through the years and now seemed the right time to involve the government in helping preserve and promote the Audubon collection. A bill introduced in Congress to appropriate money for the Audubon project failed to pass. Undeterred, local citizens continued to raise funds for the proposed museum. By 1934, 275 acres had been acquired through donations and purchase....

The New York Times reported in Sept. 1941 that the WPA worked on the "reconstruction of John Jay Park along the East River Drive, between Seventy-sixth and Seventy-eighth Streets." Specific improvements included the installation of a new diving pool with concrete bleachers; the remodeling of an "old bath building" to "include a recreation room, gymnasium and auditorium"; and a new "completely equipped playground." A May 1942 Department of Parks press release further reported that the WPA had relocated the concession building, paved areas of the park, installed benches and planted trees.

Today's NYC Parks site explains: "The swimming complex was opened in stages between 1940 and 1942 as part of a massive Work Projects Administration (WPA) capital construction program. The outdoor swimming pool was opened in 1940 and measured 50 by 145 feet. Legend has it that Parks Commissioner Robert Moses required the pool to be five feet short of the length necessary for 150-foot sprints. In 1941 the bathhouse was remodeled and reopened with an auditorium, large recreation room, gym, and changing facility which could accommodate 1,002 male and 590 female bathers. Systems were installed to filter, purify, and re-circulate...

John Marshall High School is an iconic building in the Los Feliz district of Los Angeles. Walt Disney and his family lived across the street from the "Collegiate Gothic" structure, and from 1927-1940 operated his Disney Studios and Animation School just one block away (Marshall High is the brick building visible in the background at center in this picture of the original Disney Animation Studio, c. 1939). At the same time Disney was producing his most well-known cartoons and films, WPA laborers were down the street installing Marshall High's concrete bleachers and pavillion, which are still used by students today. These WPA-built bleachers and...