The Civil Works Administration (CWA) and Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) provided labor for the construction of multiple facilities at Recreation Park in Asheville, NC. The CWA constructed a barracks at the park, as well as developing a skating rink…. read more
Montana’s Big Timber Pioneer newspaper discussed recent accomplishments of the National Youth Administration in Montana. Among the projects discussed: “Hamilton has a WPA-constructed play field to which the NYA has added a quarter-mile track. This winter there also will be… read more
'This project consisted of the erection of the recreational building and improvement of the approaches and beach front. The building is located at the shore end of the existing municipal pier. The beach south of this pier attracts a large… read more
The National Youth Administration built a recreational hall at the Naval Reserve Parkin Biloxi in 1938 as W.P. 4380. They also planted rose bushes, cedar trees, and dog wood trees and numerous flower beds along with the construction of the… read more
The Works Progress Administration built a recreational center that included a club house and a municipal golf course in Winslow, Navajo County. Project #271, completed circa 1936.
A WPA press release from Jan. 1938 reported that Hoquiam, Washington received a WPA grant to improve recreational facilities. The exact details of the project are unknown to Living New Deal.
The WPA constructed this golf course in Kalamazoo in 1937. From the Kalamazoo Municipal Golf Association: “Red Arrow is a downtown community greenspace established in 1937 as part of the WPA’s Depression reconstruction efforts when workmen earned $15/week, although the… read more
The Works Progress Administration built the Red Hill Park Picnic Pavilion in Purcell, Oklahoma. However, the facility is no longer extant. According to the Oklahoma Landmarks Inventory, “The Red Hill Park Pavilion is significant because it is the only intact structure… read more
Red Hook Park in Brooklyn was one of several major parks and hundreds of playgrounds created in New York City with Federal funds in the New Deal era. In this 1938 text, Robert Moses describes the work accomplished in New York… read more
Red Hook Park swimming pool was one of eleven pools constructed by Works Progress Administration (WPA) relief workers for the New York City Parks Department in 1936. As the Parks Department website puts it: “A new era in active recreation… read more
The CCC built much of the road from Avery to Red Ives Ranger Station as well as the Red Ives compound itself. The work was completed in 1938.
“Red Rocks was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a Depression-era public work relief program under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” that put unemployed men, ages 17-23, to work. Over a nine year span, the CCC employed 2.5… read more
From History Colorado: “During the Great Depression, George Cranmer, Manager of Improvement and Parks in Denver, utilized the Civilian Conservation Corp in the construction of a large outdoor amphitheater that is in harmony with the surrounding natural landscape. The amphitheater… read more
This former ranger station was erected in 1933 by the CCC and originally existed in Bridgeport, CA. It was later moved to Reese River Valley and remained active until the 1980s. After falling into neglect, a volunteer group of former… read more
The federal Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) furnished the labor for a reforestation project involving multiple parcels in Millville, Massachusetts ca. 1938-9. 40 men were put to work on the project. The parcels involved comprised an area of more than 200… read more
The East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD) was formed in 1934 and acquired land for parks from the East Bay Municipal Water District in 1936. The first parks were Tilden, Sibley, Temescal and Redwood in the East Bay Hills behind… read more
In 1933, acting under the leadership of Mayor Thayer, the local C.W.A. administrator, various actions were taken to stabilize the finances of the town and reemploy as many people as possible. Reconstruction Finance Corporation Grant Received during 1933: $19,820.75 Among… read more
The Annual Report from 1932-33 of the Los Angeles Board of Park Commissioners describes the role of federal funding in developing Reseda Park, which still serves the community today: “Reseda Park is one of the city parks located in San… read more
The W.P.A. constructed Harrisburg’s Reservoir Park Bandshell ca. 1939. “The erection of a bandshell was part of a $290,000 grant for area park improvements.”
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) enrollees from the Mt. Elden Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp near Flagstaff worked at Walnut Canyon National Monument from 1938 to 1942. The CCC built the stone comfort station (restrooms) on a rise above the visitors’… read more
“The WPA restroom building is a small rectangular structure oriented east-west near the northwest corner of Poplar and 4th streets. Like the other WPA park buildings, random range quarry-faced ashlar limestone clads the walls of this building. “
The WPA did extensive work in this Dallas park as part of “an extensive parks beautification program intended to make the city a showplace. For Reverchon, this meant the introduction of a series of stoneworks, including the floral amphitheater known… read more
Description of a project undertaken by the W.P.A.: 1937 MDC annual report: “Revere Beach Reservation; to rebuild two concrete truck and ambulance ramps to the beach; to build 700 linear feet of 4-foot high concrete sea wall near the North… read more
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) helped construct Salem-Winston’s Reynolds Park and Recreation Center between 1939 and 1940. “A $300,000 proposed municipal park and recreation center at Winston-Salem, N.C., has received final approval in Washington,” a journalist for Park & Recreation… read more
The Civil Works Administration (CWA) and Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) supplied labor for the development of a “Rhododendron Gardens Park” in Asheville, North Carolina. The project cost was $4,089.29, all footed by the federal government. The location and status… read more
“In July 1935, a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp was set up on the west bank of the Wisconsin River in the town of Rib Mountain. The 250 young men created walking paths, widened the road, developed a campground and… read more
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) conducted extensive development work in Grand Canyon National Park from 1933 to 1942. Among its trail development work, the CCC constructed the Ribbon Falls Trail. The National Park Service’s CCC Walking Tour says: “More challenging… read more
The federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) worked on a project that involved “cutting embankment on upland at 54th St. Newark Bay, cleaning beach and reconstruction of 3 life-saving stations.” Richard A. Rutkowski Park is still in use today.
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) made several improvements to Richardson Grove State Park during the period 1933-40. Richardson Grove was one of the original Old Growth redwood groves purchased by the Save the Redwoods League in the early 20th century… read more
Montana’s Big Timber Pioneer newspaper reported in 1937: “The Richland county fairgrounds are being completely remodeled for the coming Richland county fair and according to manager Jack Suckstorff about 40 men are now being employed in this work which is… read more
A developed campsite within the 26,000 acre Groton State Forest, Ricker Pond State Park was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. “In 1933, CCC Company 1217 from New York City was stationed at Ricker Mills and then followed by Company 1162 in… read more
“Portions of the park have historical significance because they were constructed and financed by the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.). One charmingly rustic single-story picnic shelter, for example, was built in 1942 by the W.P.A.”
On December 4, 1941, the NYC Department of Parks announced the start of construction on two new playgrounds in the Bronx, including what is now known as Rienzi Playground. The release explains that the WPA was removing sixteen 1-3 story… read more
“Rochester National Defense Cont., Inc., 50-acre semi-military range at West Rush, reached via State 2A to Rush, West Rush Road to Golah; a 600-yd. range, suitable for large and small bore rifle, pistol, and trap shooting. Members only. Grant has… read more
“Rim Drive is a scenic highway in Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon. It is a 33-mile (53 km) loop that follows the caldera rim around Crater Lake. Because of the its unique engineering and the surrounding park landscape,… read more
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) enrollees from the Mt. Elden Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp near Flagstaff worked at Walnut Canyon National Monument from 1938 to 1942. Among other work, the CCC crews almost surely built the Rim Trail, which departs… read more
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) conducted extensive development work at Grand Canyon Village, 1933-37. The National Park Service CCC Walking Tour notes that: “While the CCC crews were refurbishing the rock wall [along Rim Trail, in 1935], they also constructed… read more
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) conducted extensive development work at Grand Canyon Village, 1933 to 1937, including resurfacing the Rim Trail from roughly Hermit Road to Yavapai Point. The resurfacing extended far beyond the part of the trail in front… read more
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) conducted extensive development work at Grand Canyon Village, including reconstruction of an approximately 0.4-mile stretch of wall along the central portion of the Rim Trail, roughly between Bright Angel Lodge and El Tovar Hotel. The… read more