Construction of Treasure Island
Description
Funds for a seawall and fill for the exposition site were provided through a $3,043,000 WPA grant.
Another WPA grant of $1,296,000 provided for roadways, a causeway, trestles, landscaping, and drainage of water systems.
A PWA grant of $1,711,000, matched in part by local funds, provided for paving, ferry slips and some buildings.
Private funding for the exhibition were raised through private subscriptions, through the sale of bonds.
A 1940 WPA publication describes the construction of Treasure Island as follows:
“Dedicated November 21, 1937, Yerba Buena Shoals, more popularly known as Treasure Island, was raised from beneath the waters of the bay through the handling of 30,000,000 cubic yards of material. Roughly, the fill is two-thirds of a mile wide and a quarter long.
Cost of the project exceeded $4,000,000, of which the WPA contribute 3,347,000 in Federal funds and the sponsors the balance.
Work of building this man-made island was begun by the United States Army Engineering Corps on February 7, 1936, when the seagoing hopper dredge Mackenzie dumped its first load of material on the exposition site, and ended September 4, 1937 – one day ahead of schedule…
The WPA also gave financial aid for the installation of the island’s water supply system, for its landscaping and horticultural work, for the building of its roads and approaches. Further, Works Projects Administration employees played a part in the designing of many of its exhibit palaces.”
– Lawson, 94
From the photo below:
“(Up from A Worthless Shoals) The ‘Worthless’ shoals of Yerba Buena are shown here being transformed into the site of the $50,000,000 1939 World’s Fair on San Francisco Bay. The island was built by a $3,803,900 WPA appropriation. The ferry slips are in the foreground. Golden Gate International Exposition.”
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“San Francisco, California – view of causeway linking Exposition Island with Yerba Buena and Bay Bridge. Island later to be used as an airport for land planes and for the Pacific Clipper Ship Terminal.”
causeway linking Exposition Island with Yerba Buena
"San Francisco, California - view of causeway linking Exposition Island with Yerba Buena and Bay Bridge. Island later to be used as an airport for land planes and for the Pacific Clipper Ship Terminal."
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Dedication of Treasure Island
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“Work on sea wall.”
Flood control - Golden Gate International Exposition
"Work on sea wall."
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“Three ferry slips and passenger terminal building being constructed on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition are nearing completion at a cost of $500,000. Direct ferry service with the mainland will carry the major portion of the traffic to the official World’s Yair of the Pacific, estimated at 50,000 per hour or 250,000 per day during peak periods.”
Ferry slips under construction on Treasure Island
"Three ferry slips and passenger terminal building being constructed on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition are nearing completion at a cost of $500,000. Direct ferry service with the mainland will carry the major portion of the traffic to the official World's Yair of the Pacific, estimated at 50,000 per hour or 250,000 per day during peak periods."
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“One hundred per cent complete is the 400-acre man-made ‘Treasure Island,’ San Francisco Bay site of the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition. Exhibit palaces rise on the south end of the island, adjacent to Yerba Buena Island and the $77,000,000 San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge. Twenty million Cubic yards of sand were pumped from the bottom of the bay to create ‘Treasure Island.'”
Treasure Island
"One hundred per cent complete is the 400-acre man-made 'Treasure Island,' San Francisco Bay site of the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition. Exhibit palaces rise on the south end of the island, adjacent to Yerba Buena Island and the $77,000,000 San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge. Twenty million Cubic yards of sand were pumped from the bottom of the bay to create 'Treasure Island.'"
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“San Francisco, California – View of construction work on airport terminal showing crabbing foundations. Yerba Buena taken from Yerba Buena Island across Exposition Harbor.”
Construction work on airport terminal
"San Francisco, California - View of construction work on airport terminal showing crabbing foundations. Yerba Buena taken from Yerba Buena Island across Exposition Harbor."
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Building Treasure Island
Source notes
The Architect and Engineer. January 1936. William R. Lawson. Achievements, Federal Works Agency. Work Projects Administration, Northern California; 1940: 94-104.
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