- City:
- Carmel, CA
- Site Type:
- Education and Health, Schools
- New Deal Agencies:
- Works Progress Administration (WPA), Public Works Funding, Work Relief Programs, Public Works Administration (PWA)
- Started:
- 1939
- Completed:
- 1940
- Designers:
- Ernest Kump, Jr.
- Quality of Information:
- Very Good
- Marked:
- Unknown
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
The New Deal helped build Carmel High School in 1940.
In 1939, the city of Carmel purchased the lot and secured a bond issue for $165,000 for the school. Groundbreaking came in early 1940 and school opened in September.
The city put in applications for funding to both the Public Works Administration (PWA) and the Works Projects Administration (WPA), so it is not entirely clear from the newspaper sources whether the project was done with the aid of both agencies or just the WPA.
The five-building school complex was designed by Ernest Kump, Jr. of Fresno, who created a long, single-story modern structure with a nod toward local traditions (Monterey style) by use of adobe brick walls, redwood shingles and Carmel sandstone pillars. The WPA also built athletic fields, a pedestrian tunnel under the highway and landscaped the grounds.
Carmel High School has been greatly expanded since 1940; recent additions include a new performing arts theater, math wing, science wing, and library (Wikipedia). But the original five buildings appear to still be intact and in operation.
Source notes
"High school site purchase made," Carmel Pine Cone, August 4, 1939, p. 1.
William Millis, "Carmel High School plans announced." Monterey Peninsula Herald, 1940.
"High school WPA project is approved," Carmel Pine Cone, March 15, 1940.
"17,000 adobe bricks will adorn new Carmel High School," Monterey Peninsula Herald, May 15, 1940
[all newspaper clippings from the History Room, Carmel library]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmel_High_School_(Carmel,_California)
Site originally submitted by Katie O'Connell on February 23, 2023.
Additional contributions by Richard Walker.
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