Takoma Recreation Center Development – Washington DC

State:
WASHINGTON-DC

Site Type:
Parks and Recreation, Tennis Courts, Lodges, Ranger Stations and Visitor Centers, Swimming Pools, Athletic Courts and Fields, Landscaping and Tree Planting

New Deal Agencies:
Works Progress Administration (WPA), Work Relief Programs, Civil Works Administration (CWA)

Started:
1933

Completed:
1936

Quality of Information:
Very Good

Marked:
No

Site Survival:
Extant

Description

Takoma Recreation Center is a large public recreational facility in Washington D.C., containing buildings, swimming pool, tennis courts and other facilities. New Deal agencies did extensive work on the site, 1933-36, as part of a larger Capital Parks improvement program assisted by the Civil Work Adminstration (CWA), Works Progress Administration (WPA), and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).

The WPA alone undertook a million dollar program of improvements to district parks in 1935-36.

The work at Takoma Recreation Center included: “Swimming pools and field house constructed; baseball diamonds, athletic fields graded and equipment installed; landscaping and lawn area at field house constructed; parking areas constructed” (Washington Daily News).  

These facilities all appear to still be in place, though probably renovated over the years; it is uncertain what parts of the New Deal work remain.

A 1937 Washington Star article reported that the WPA would be constructing a pergola at the recreation center swimming pool. The status of this project is unknown.

Source notes

National Archives, Record Group 69, Records of the Work Projects Administration, “Newspaper clippings file, 1935-1942.”

“New Deal Projects Aid Many Park Developments in Capital,” Washington Daily News, July 23, 1936.

National Archives, Record Group 69, Records of the Work Projects Administration, “Newspaper clippings file, 1935-1942.”

“600 Relief Workers To Get Park Places,” Washington Star, May 23, 1937.

Site originally submitted by Brent McKee - wpatoday.org on June 7, 2013.

Location Info


300 Van Buren St.
Washington, D.C. 20011

Coordinates: 38.9695, -77.0180

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One comment on “Takoma Recreation Center Development – Washington DC

  1. The Takoma Pool House, like Banneker, began as a Civil Works Administration Project, but was completed by subsequent New Deal agencies.

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Contribute to this Site

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One comment on “Takoma Recreation Center Development – Washington DC

  1. The Takoma Pool House, like Banneker, began as a Civil Works Administration Project, but was completed by subsequent New Deal agencies.

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.