- City:
- Albany, CA
- Site Type:
- Sidewalks, Gutters and Stairs, Infrastructure and Utilities
- New Deal Agencies:
- Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA)
- Quality of Information:
- Good
- Marked:
- Yes
Description
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed several sidewalks in Albany CA in 1939 and 1940, 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.
One group of WPA stamps can be found along Santa Fe Avenue at 1301 Dartmouth St., 1054 Santa Fe Ave.(corner of Francis St.), and 1159 Santa Fe Ave.(corner of Pomona), south of Marin Street (see photos). Another pair of WPA sidewalks stamps can be seen nearby at 1509 and 1511 Sonoma Ave. and at the corner of Posen St. and Ordway Ave (not pictured).
Other stamps can be found in northwest Albany on Garfield (just off San Pablo Ave.)(see photo) and at 603 Evelyn Street (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.
Additional contributions by Richard Walker.
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Mark Brucker
713 Ramona, Albany: concrete strip between curb and sidewalk with WPA 1939 stamp.