- City:
- Modesto, CA
- Site Type:
- Education and Health, Schools
- Quality of Information:
- Minimal
- Marked:
- Unknown
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
Enslen Elementary School in Modesto, California apparently gained a new building in 1935 with aid from the New Deal. That aid may have come as Public Works Administration (PWA) funding or relief work by the Works Progress Administration (WPA).
The original school building is a long, single-story structure with red-tile roof (Mission Style) and ample window openings onto classrooms. It is a close (identical?) match to the Wilson Elementary School in Modesto.
We have a photograph from the National Archives and Records Administration of an unidentified school building in Modesto that matches the basic lines of the Enslen and Wilson schools.
Further information on the origins of the school is needed.
Source notes
The Modesto Bee, 22 Feb 1935, Fri
Page 2Site originally submitted by Shaina Potts on November 13, 2010.
Additional contributions by Richard Walker.
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There were actually two WPA schools built from the same blueprints in Modesto. The first was Enslen Elementary located on Coldwell Ave. The second was Wilson Elementary built around the same time located on Wilson Ave. Both schools remain open and in good condition. They both had additions in the 1950’s. However, the additions were separate from the main structure. The main structures have been updated on the inside. Surprisingly, a significant amount of the original detail remains intact. My son attends Enslen Elementary which is a distinguished school. Our community loves and cares for these two schools. They will be around for a long time.
Please tell me when Enslen was built. I went there as a kid and even then I had an appreciation for all the beautiful wood work.
Thank you.
There is some mention of Burbank Elementary School, on Paradise in Modesto. I wonder where the facts are on this project and how it ties into Modesto New Deal projects.
Burbank Elementary is a separate school on Paradise Drive in SW Modesto. It is on our map.