WPA Sidewalks – Albany CA

City:
Albany, CA

Site Type:
Sidewalks and Stairs, Infrastructure and Utilities

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

Description

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed several sidewalks in Albany CA, which can be identified by distinctive WPA ‘sidewalk stamps’. Such markers were commonly impressed into wet concrete to show the name of sidewalk contractors in the first half of the 20th century. 

A group of WPA stamps can be found at 1301 Dartmouth St., 1054 Santa Fe Ave.(corner of Francis St.), and 1159 Santa Fe Ave.(corner of Pomona), south of Marin Ave and east of the BART tracks.  Another pair of WPA sidewalks stamps can be seen at 1509 and 1511 Sonoma Ave.  One stamp on Garfield just off San Pablo Ave. in northwest Albany.  There are others stamps at 603 Evelyn St and at the corner of Posen St. and Ordway Ave. (not pictured)

The full extent of WPA sidewalk construction in Albany may be larger because the stamps are often lost to sidewalk repairs and curb cuts for disabled access. Today, contractors often leave the old stamps in place, as is the case at 1159 Santa Fe Ave.

Source notes

Site originally submitted by Marsha Skinner on August 5, 2009.

Location Info


1054 Santa Fe Ave
Albany, CA 94706
Alameda County

Location notes:

Coordinates: 37.884944, -122.28968

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One comment on “WPA Sidewalks – Albany CA

  1. Mark Brucker

    713 Ramona, Albany: concrete strip between curb and sidewalk with WPA 1939 stamp.

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One comment on “WPA Sidewalks – Albany CA

  1. Mark Brucker

    713 Ramona, Albany: concrete strip between curb and sidewalk with WPA 1939 stamp.

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.

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