- City:
- Davis, CA
- Site Type:
- Infrastructure and Utilities, Roads, Bridges, and Tunnels
- New Deal Agencies:
- Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA)
Description
The WPA worked extensively on curbs, gutters and sidewalks in Davis.
"SERA also denied (for being a piecemeal approach that wouldnt improve drainage) the citys application for installing widely-scattered curbs & gutters, although the WPA in 1937 approved $26,000 for the more-comprehensive version of the paving project. That concrete, it was assured, was to use local gravel from Putah Creek."
– https://www.yolo.net/ychs/publications/newDeal.html
Many sidewalks in Davis still bear WPA stamps:
"Davis still bears the stamp of these WPA projectsliterally. Perhaps you've seen the "WPA" initials imprinted in a sidewalk while strolling through old North Davis. These sidewalks were laid in the late 1930's with federal funding through the Works Progress Administration. Look on the corner curbs at intersections for the most obvious stamps, especially along C Street."
– https://daviswiki.org/WPA
Source notes
For more photos of sidewalk stamps: https://daviswiki.org/WPAContribute to this Site
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Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal SiteOne comment on “WPA Sidewalks – Davis CA”
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Richard A. Peterson
Hi and since my retirement from LLNL’s Plant Engineering Dept., I took my walk twice a week in neighborhood area. I can’t help it but noticed sidewalk dated initials from time to time. This including WPA 1939, 1940 and 1941. I’m sure I’ve seen WPA 1937 and 1938 during my early walks, so will try to locate them. I did took photos of all markings here, Alameda, Berkeley areas. This is an on-going project of sort, enjoy having something to do.
I’ll be happy to send attached photos of WPAs in next email if you like. I can make notes of every known WPA markings in Livermore, unless someone or survey team already done it.