- City:
- Long Beach, CA
- Site Type:
- Schools, Education and Health
- New Deal Agencies:
- Public Works Administration (PWA), Public Works Funding
- Completed:
- 1934
- Designer:
- M. Eugene Durfee
- Quality of Information:
- Good
- Marked:
- Unknown
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
Designed by M. Eugene Durfee, McKinley Elementary School (Building A) was built in 1934 with Public Works Administration (PWA) funding. It is one of six LBUSD schools built in the aftermath of the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake that were designed in the Period Revival style instead of WPA/PWA Moderne.
The 1933 earthquake destroyed hundreds of schools throughout Southern California. “On August 29, 1933, Long Beach citizens approved a $4,930,000 bond measure for the rebuilding of schools. Applications for approximately thirty-five schools were filed with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Public Works Administration (PWA); federal grants up to thirty percent of labor and material costs were obtained. To minimize costs, building materials were salvaged from damaged buildings, some schools were rehabilitated, and new schools were constructed with basic amenities without cafeterias, libraries, auditoriums, swimming pools, or gymnasiums. Four years after the earthquake, school construction totaling $3,281,000 was completed or under contract” (Cultural Resources Assessment for LBUSD, p. 26).
Source notes
Donald H. Connolly and G. I. Farman, Report of Accomplishments of the Operations Division, Works Progress Administration, Southern California, January 1, 1939.
Cultural Resources Assessment for Long Beach Unified School District, January 2017.
Site originally submitted by Shaina Potts on August 14, 2011.
Additional contributions by Natalie McDonald.
Site Details
Federal Cost | Local Cost | Total Cost |
---|---|---|
$3,565 | $851 | $4,416 |
Contribute to this Site
We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal site.
Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site
Join the Conversation