Start Year: 1937

The first federal courthouse in Ketchikan was opened in 1905. By 1913, a federal grand jury requested the government build a new facility. In 1923, a report found the 1905 courthouse "dilapidated beyond reasonable repair and overcrowded past endurance." Finally, a decade later, relief came to Ketchikan in the form of the Work Projects Administration. An initial appropriation of $300,000 was allotted for the project with a supplemental appropriation of $100,000 to cover the $350,000 cost of the building. The plain, box-like exterior, flat roof and lack of ornamentation identify the Federal Building as International Style architecture. The building also represents...

The Clinton Federal Building (north) was originally the US Post Office Department headquarters, completed under the New Deal in 1934.  It contains a wealth of New Deal artworks commissioned and paid for by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts – 25 murals and 22 sculptural elements (12 bas-reliefs, 2 statues, 8 wood medallions) – featuring postal themes. In 1937, Frank Mechau painted two large (7 x 13') oil-on-canvas murals for the former Post Office Department Building: "Dangers of the Mail" and "Pony Express."  They are notable both for their stylistic daring and their controversial subject matter, and they have evoked praise...

The Spring Shelter at Pokagon State Park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1937-38.  Originally conceived as a trailside shelter next to a natural spring, the Spring Shelter was built of hewn logs.  Originally, the shelter was also used as an overnight cabin. The style of the building is classified as Parks Rustic. Substantial CCC stone work also enhanced the appearance and accessibility of the artesian well beside the shelter.  The Spring Shelter is not marked as CCC, but there is now a CCC Pocket Museum with exhibits in the old gatehouse and the Nature Center has an exhibit that...

The Triborough Bridge is one of three major bridges, along with the Henry Hudson and the Bronx-Whitestone, built during the New Deal era to link the boroughs of Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx, and tie together the expanding highway system in and out of New York City.  Robert Moses was the master planner of New York from the 1920s to the 1920s, and one of Moses' seats of power was the Triborough Bridge Authority, which built this and other bridges. Moses used New Deal funds liberally to build the projects he had in mind for the city. But he did not...

"The Arrival of the Mail in Culver" is a post office mural completed by Jessie Hull Mayer in 1938 under the auspices of the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. The size of the mural is 10'6"x 4'6" and the medium is oil on canvas.

Originally known as the "Lookout Inn." A sign at the current State Line Cafe describes the building's New Deal history: "'Lookout Inn' was built from Palisade stone and chestnut wood in 1937-38 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The Park kept the Inn open-air during warmer months, and an attendant...operated a filling station in the parking area.  

"Yellow- buff colored brick one story Classical Revival structure.  It was built by the Weitz Construction Company of Des Moines, Iowa.  The building was formally occupied January 31, 1938.  The front façade faces west on South Jacksonville Street.  As of 1992 there were original wrought iron balustrades and decorative lanterns at the entrance.  The entrance features a decorative carved eagle placed in a semi-circular inset above the entry... The Post Office was built under the Public Works Administration (PWA), which was established in 1933 to oversee the planning and construction of Federal and non-Federal public works projects. It is typical of...

Municipal reports from 1938 and 1939 reported the following WPA activity in Gorham: 1937 Storm drains Alpine St & Promenade St. Water mains Alpine St and to the Island on the east end of Washington St. The town is now able to get W. P. A. assistance and it has been suggested that the following sewers be built: Alpine Street, Promenade and Church Streets, and the Leblanc-Willis sewer. Estimated cost of these projects is material furnished by the town $2907.60 and we recommend this amount be appropriated and raised. All labor for these projects will be furnished by W. P. A. 1938 The new dam at the...

North Dakota State University was originally known as the North Dakota Agricultural College. The name was changed in 1960. The campus newspaper The Collegiate reported on Nov 5, 1937: "Up for approval before the local WPA council is an NDSC campus improvement, building renovation, and general landscaping plan involving expenditures amounting to $65,000. Out of the President's office just a few hours ago broke the news that Mr. Theodore Loy, WPAdministrator for this district, has in his hands at this moment an application for approval of the plan as drawn up by Business Manager S. W. Hagen, Mr. Edward Nelson, Board of...

The town road agent Clifford Davis reported in the annual town report for 1937 that: "Work Accomplished on W. P. A. Project 378 Graveling, Widening, Culverts, Ditching and Bush Cutting on the Hackelborough, MacElroy, Pickard, Morrill, Concord, Colby, Asby, & Wheeler Roads."