View from Bear Mountain overlooking Hudson River
Description
“Bear Mountain State Park is located on the west side of the Hudson River in Orange and Rockland counties of New York…
In the 1930s the federal government under Franklin D. Roosevelt was developing plans to preserve the environment as part of the Depression-era public works programs; the Civil Works Administration and the Works Progress Administration, spent five years on projects at the park. Pump houses, reservoirs, sewer systems, vacation lodges, bathrooms, homes for park staff, storage buildings and an administration building were all created through these programs.” (wikipedia)
In addition, a report of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration from 1933 records another New Deal site in the park:
“A camp for destitute unemployed women was established in Bear Mountain Park, in New York State, by the temporary emergency relief administration of the state with the cooperation of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. The Federal Emergency Relief Administrator ruled that the cost of the maintenance and administration of this camp might be included by the State in its accounting of expenditures when applying for Federal funds under subsection (b) of section 3 of the Federal Emergency Relief Act. This camp, still in an experimental state, and the only one of its kind in the country, is accommodating approximately 200 unemployed women.”
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Sewage disposal system construction at Twin Lakes and Pine Mountain, Bear Mountain State Park
WPA workers building sewage disposal system
Sewage disposal system construction at Twin Lakes and Pine Mountain, Bear Mountain State Park
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“View from atop Bear Mountain showing Queensboro Lake and Turkey Hill Lakes where WPA is making improvements.” — WPA
Bear Mountain State Park Improvements
"View from atop Bear Mountain showing Queensboro Lake and Turkey Hill Lakes where WPA is making improvements." -- WPA
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“Construction of administrative building” — WPA
Construction of Administrative Building, Bear Mountain State Park
"Construction of administrative building" -- WPA
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Sewer system work in Twin Lakes and Pine Mountain sections of Bear Mountain State Park
WPA workers building sewage disposal system
Sewer system work in Twin Lakes and Pine Mountain sections of Bear Mountain State Park
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“WPA workers building 6 filter beds for sewage disposal system” – WPA
WPA workers building sewage disposal system
"WPA workers building 6 filter beds for sewage disposal system" - WPA
Source notes
Wikipedia: Bear Mountain State Parkk NY Times, April 15, 2009: "W.P.A. Projects Left Their Stamp on the Region" by Terry Golway National Archives and Records Administration, Negatives 1535, 1536, 1537, 1539, 17294-C Monthly report of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration in 1933
We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal project site.
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