- City:
- Deerwood, MN
- Site Type:
- Civic Facilities, Auditoriums and Arenas
- New Deal Agencies:
- Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA), State Emergency Relief Administration (SERA)
- Started:
- 1935
- Completed:
- 1937
- Quality of Information:
- Very Good
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
“The Deerwood Auditorium is a community center in Deerwood, Minnesota, United States, built as a Works Progress Administration project. The auditorium, built in 1935, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a rare surviving example of federal relief architecture in Minnesota.
…The town first received funding for the auditorium in 1935 through the State Emergency Relief Administration, but the SERA’s function was later subsumed by the Works Progress Administration.
…Despite shortages of money during the construction, the building was substantially completed in time for its first event, a lutefisk supper held on October 29, 1936. Final touches were completed in early 1937. The interior of the building contains a basketball court and auditorium, with a stage on the north end. The second floor of the building contained a balcony on each side of the court, while the first floor also housed the kitchen, library, locker rooms, and a city council room. The rear of the building housed the town’s fire station.[2]
The building has hosted events such as lectures, company meetings, exhibits, fraternal gatherings, graduations, and awards banquets, as well as several annual lutefisk dinners.” (wikipedia)
Source notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deerwood_Auditorium
https://cityofdeerwood.com/deerwood_minnesota_history
https://www.mnopedia.org/structure/deerwood-auditorium
https://bigforkcityhall.blogspot.com/2011/12/another-mn-wpa-building.html
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This was designed by St. Paul architect Carl H. Buetow. He designed dozens of New Deal buildings around the state, including public schools, municipal buildings, bandshells. and others.