- City:
- Nephi, UT
- Site Type:
- Schools, Education and Health
- New Deal Agencies:
- Public Works Administration (PWA), Public Works Funding
- Started:
- 1938
- Completed:
- 1939
- Designer:
- Ashton and Evans
- Quality of Information:
- Very Good
- Marked:
- Yes
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
The newspapers of small, rural communities take us through the local debate behind New Deal projects. The Juab High gym and mechanical arts building was approved by the school board in Oct 1936 with three goals: 1) the old gym was “entirely inadequate” and would be turned over as a “ladies gym.” The new one would be reserved for the men; 2) rural youth were graduating high school without skills for gainful employment, thus the mechanical arts classrooms; 3) it may be the “last opportunity to get P.W.A. funding.”
A series of “mass meetings” were held across the county in July 1937 to acquaint taxpayers with the program and answer any questions. A bond issuance vote was held in May 1938 which passed (130 to 63) and construction began in late 1938.
The design (Ashton & Evans, Salt Lake City) is simple art deco with beautiful tapestry brick.
The total cost was $90,000: $40,000 P.W.A. funds and $50,000 financed by local bonds.
After the construction of the new high school, the gym structure was city-run as The Old Gym and was active through at least 2004.
Source notes
District voters favor bond issuance. (1938, May 19). Nephi Times-News.
Juab Okehs $80,000 gym at high school. (1936, Oct 17). Deseret News.
Mass meetings to be held for discussion of school district building program. (1937, Jul 15). Nephi Times-News.
Blueprints from:
Special Collections, Ashton & Evans collection [unprocessed blueprints]. J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Site originally submitted by Corrinne Fiedler on March 10, 2023.
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Corrinne Fiedler
Dallin
The Nephi Gym is not demolished … in fact I visited it today (5/31/2023). The Nephi City water commission used the lower level until just last year. Though I spoke with the City Finance director, and it may not make it through the next few budget cycles.
Are there any plans to renovate the old gym? Or, are they planning on tearing it down? As of now, it is an eye sore.