University of Washington Campus – Seattle WA

Description

A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 stated:
“The finishing touches to the creation of what is said will be the most beautiful college campus in tho west will begin this week with the opening operations of a new Works Progress Administration project. The plans designed, under a series of projects of which this is the culminating one, will give the University of Washington a campus second to none in boauty of landscape, according to the university buildings and grounds engineers.

The WPA grant for the present project is the largest single federal allotment to the university and, according to present estimates, will complete the final grading. landscaping and building of retaining walls. The federal allotment is for $240,790 and the university of $107,865, according to an announcement from Don G. Abel, WPA state administrator.

Work under the authority of this project began Monday December 6. The former crew of men laboring on several smaller projects dealing with various angles of the program will be retained, said Abel. When under full swing thw present project will allow a total employment roll of 372 men.

Launched shortly after the inception of the WPA in 1935 this series of projects is expected to be terminated late next summer. All work including the library quadrangle, Rainier Vista, Geyser Basin and all the landscaping will be completed by then.

The larger portion of work under the new project will consist of close grading, extensive terracing, planting of flowers, shrubs, trees, grass and otherwise dressing up the adjacent terrain.”