The last of the WPA Emergency Hous built in Bandon after the 1936 fire, Bandon OR
Description
The Bandon Fire, which burned the majority of the town on September 26, 1936, displaced a number of the city’s residents from their destroyed houses. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) promptly responded to a request for emergency housing by using WPA workers to construct 36 cottages. Despite the temporary nature of the original emergency housing, one still remains in the NE area of Bandon.
While the demand for alternatives to the tent city that housed displaced residents was great, the emergency housing units were developed explicitly for those households on relief. Bandon residents who were employed were directed to the Federal Housing Authority and local mill owners for assistance in constructing replacement, permanent housing.
Referred to as barracks in some newspaper descriptions and cottages in others, the relief housing was arranged as u-shaped, attached housing courts. A comparison was made to a local motel court with nine units per attached structure.
Over the years, as might be expected, the majority of the “temporary” housing was demolished.
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Western World newspaper report regarding emergency barracks housing after Bandon Fire May 27, 1937
Source notes
"Griffith Clears WPA Work Done in Bandon Region," Western World. October 22, 1936. p. 7.
Interview with Jim Proehl, Bandon Historical Society volunteer, Bandon OR. April 28, 2022.
"WPA Can't Help Workers: Only Those on Relief to be Housed," Western World. October 15, 1936. p. 1.
Project originally submitted by Judith T Kenny on June 12, 2022.
Additional contributions by Jim Proehl.
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