- City:
- Mexico, NY
- Site Type:
- Education and Health, Schools
- New Deal Agencies:
- Public Works Administration (PWA), Public Works Funding
- Started:
- 1937
- Contractor:
- Harold Fullerton
- Quality of Information:
- Good
- Marked:
- No
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
The Public Works Administration funded the construction of facilities for the Mexico School in Mexico, NY. Excerpt from the Mexico Academy & Central School District, Mexico High School History:
“On June 19, 1937, the cornerstone was laid for the new $500,000 high school building. The architect for the project was Mr. Harold Fullerton from Albany and the project was administered through the Public Works Administration [sic]. The building is of Georgian Colonial style and was built to house 1500 students and last for 150 years. Substantial materials besides the brick exterior include terrazzo flooring, marble, and brass. Additionally, the original building library is patterned after the reading room of the Boston Public Library and features detailed wood paneling and a fireplace.
The building also houses the “La Guerre d’Independence” mural. This mural depicts five scenes from the Revolutionary War. It is composed of thirty-two panels and was printed in France using 1,650 wooden blocks and 220 different colors in 1930. It is believed that the school’s setting is the only place in the world where the complete set of panels is shown in one setting. (The White House displays this mural but part is upstairs and part is downstairs.)
When built in 1937, the building was state of the art featuring dental and medical suites, science suites, a cafeteria with a small stage, concealed radiative heating, an auditorium seating some 800, Industrial Arts, Home Economics and Future Farmers of America classrooms, and a master communication system that reached every classroom.”
Source notes
Mexico Academy & Central School District, Mexico High School History (https://www.mexicocsd.org/Page/304), accessed September 10, 2018.
A Rural High School In Upstate New York, Susan Link: (https://suelink.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-rural-high-school-in-upstate-new-york.html?m=1), accessed September 10, 2018.
Site originally submitted by Christopher Jones on September 15, 2018.
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