Start Year: 1934

The exterior of the National Archives is graced by sculptures, bas-reliefs and inscriptions. The building above ground was completed under the New Deal by the Treasury Department Office of Procurement, including the sculptures. Congress originally approved a new home for the National Archives in 1928, but construction did not start until late 1931. The foundation was laid and the cornerstone placed by President Herbert Hoover during his last weeks in office. Construction above ground began under President Franklin Roosevelt in 1933 and the exterior was completed in late 1935; an addition with more stacks was finished in 1937. The architect of the...

The State Teachers College in Hattiesburg received funding from ERA in 1934 and 1935 for improvements and repair to several buildings on campus. The school received $28,532.89 for repairing the hospital building, redecorating the interior of the library, renovating four campus cottages, placing flood-lights on the athletic field, refinishing floors in the president's home, and enlargements and alteration of the demonstration school gymnasium along with brick veneering of the exterior. the library was enlarged and improved. At least two of the buildings (president's home and demonstration gymnasium) are extant.

Lake Byron was the 1934 gift from the Senior class to then named State Teachers College. It was named for Byron E. Green, Forrest County Board of Supervisors, who secured WPA relief funding to finance construction. The lake was planned as a state fish preserve, and completed April 1934. The lake and bridge were damaged in the 2013 tornado that struck Hattiesburg. The renovations enlarged the lake, and the historic bridge was reconstructed for compliance with ADA, with assistance from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Federal Emergency Relief Admn (FERA), and the Civil Works Admn (CWA) built multiple facilities in McClain Rogers Park in Clinton OK. Contributor note: "McClain Rogers Park was built with the combined efforts of the Federal Emergency Relief Admn (FERA), the Civil Works Admn (CWA), and the Works Progress Admn (WPA). It was constructed during the period 1934 to 1937. This is an area of about 12 acres which is bordered on the east by S. 10th, on the west by S. 13th, between Opal to the north and Jaycee on the south. There are two large entrance gates,...

Federal aid from the Emergency Relief Administration to match $200,000 appropriated by Mississippi legislature was awarded to repair and improve the six state universities and colleges. Delta State Teachers College received $15,595.20 for dormitory renovations, auditorium repairs, and painting other buildings. Complete interior renovation of two men’s dormitories began August 25, 1934, for an expected cost of $15,000 for new plumbing, lights, wall and ceiling plastering, and new woodwork. Hardee Hall, originally constructed 1912-1914, and Taylor Hall, constructed 1912-1914, were part of the Bolivar County Agricultural High School and among the first buildings for Delta State Teachers College. Hardee was...

The state health board of Mississippi was allocated $5,420.31 to erect an extension to the laboratory for the health department located at the Old Capitol building in Jackson. The new addition to the laboratory was completed in November 1934 with funding from ERA. The addition included a "new and modern animal pen, with a concrete floor" (Union Appeal, 1934, p. 1). The pen, and its "cyclone proof iron fence" was for animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, and white mice, used in the manufacture of serum. The laboratory tested animals suspected of rabies in order to provide anti-rabies treatments.

The State School at Ellisville received $15,000 for repairing the boys’ and girls’ dormitories, including roof, floors, windows, and painting. Three employee cottages were improved with painting, woodwork repair, and modern plumbing installation. The grounds were graded and landscaped. The old boys dormitory and old girls dormitory were constructed 1929 and are possibly the dorms that were renovated, and are extant, as are the employee cottages, constructed in 1930.

Governor’s Mansion, constructed 1839-1842 in Greek Revival style, was “redecorated” in 1935. Architect Albert hays Town was involved in the “work with the interior and exterior getting a thorough going-over with repairs and redecorations. Some alterations were made to the interior, the roof repaired, electric wiring renewed and floors refinished” (Improvements completed, 1935, p. 5). The total expenditure was $9,813. The family of the governor was moved from one suite of rooms to another as rooms were renovated one-by-one. Lena Brock supervised the renovation job, and as part of the process, secured a pre-Civil War table c.1840 for use in...

Using ERA funds, Parchman Farm State Penitentiary was one of several state institutions to receive funding for repairs and improvements, 1934-1935. The Penal Board president reported many buildings in need of repair, including the farm's light plant. Specific repairs are not identified, but $10,401.20 was awarded. In January 1935, the facility built two new dormitories to house prisoners and several other buildings related to running the prison, although whether these were part of the ERA expenditure is not identified. It is unknown if those buildings are extant, although there are surviving buildings from that era. Alan Lomax recorded prisoners singing...

State Charity Hospital Improvements in Jackson MS was built with federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) funds in 1935. $18,000 was allotted for the Charity hospital project. N. W. Overstreet was the architect for main building and nurses home renovations in 1934-1935. The hospital was constructed in 1912, closed in 1955, and demolished prior to 1962.