Road and Infrastructure Work – Proctor VT

Description

New Deal funds supported extensive road and infrastructure work in the town of Proctor. The Selectmens report for 1933 mentions 7 highway projects and the extension of the sewer near Field St done by the C.W.A. starting Nov. 2nd 1933, employing 90 men, and costing the New Deal $6,494 for wages and $2,293 for a truck, tools, materials, and supplies. Highway projects by the Vermont Emergency Relief Administration VERA (the state agency set up to distribute Federal funds) cost $16,685.

In 1934, further CWA and VERA funds were used to distribute money to families in need of seeds and other farming inputs, and to fund work relief in multiple forms, including chopping wood for families in need, canning and distributing food, and sewing and distributing clothing. In late 1935, the town began receiving money from the newly established WPA to cover continuing work relief.

In 1936, the WPA improved village streets (including Cain, Center, Pine, Church, South, Bluff, Williams and Market Streets), installed storm drains “on South Street from Holden Avenue north approximately three hundred feet,” and widened Marble Bridge. The major project the following year was widening Sutherland Falls. The material removed during this project was used make new connections “connections between Pine and High Streets, Gibbs and Taylor Ave. and the Green Squares. Some of the stone was used for the Library wall along the river bank and the retaining wall just east of the Library triangle.” Tar was also applied to numerous other local streets and more storm drains were added, among other street improvements. At the same time, the NYA also improved and landscaped various streets. Further street improvements continued from 1938-1941.

In 1938, the WPA also included landscaping and establishing a boundary around Riverside Cemetery and planting shade trees around town.