Unknown Sites

In 1939, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed a bridge on W. Sierra Madre Blvd. near La Ramada Ave. over the Little Santa Anita Creek in Arcadia, CA. The bridge features decorative tiling.

This steel and concrete bridge, crossing the Truckee River in downtown Reno, Nevada, was completed in 1937 with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA).

Designed by Clarence N. Aldrich, Signal Hill Elementary School was built in 1934 with New Deal funding. The style is WPA/PWA Moderne. “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...

Various New Deal agencies built the Silver Lake Reservoir in Rochester MN. According to the City of Rochester "Silver Lake is actually a reservoir that was created by first, hand-digging a basin to hold water, and then constructing a dam from 1935-1936 to back-up river water. It was built for half a million dollars during the 1930’s Great Depression as a work relief project, providing work for over 400 unemployed men. Various New Deal programs supported the effort. The project was started by the Civil Works Administration (formed as part of the Federal Emergency Relief Act in 1933), then joined by...

In 1936, a new classroom building was constructed at Sixty-Eighth Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, CA. The $57,515 project was partially funded by the Public Works Administration (PWA). The single-story PWA Moderne structure is extant at the corner of Denver Ave and W 68th St. The reconstruction and renovation of Los Angeles schools damaged by the 1933 Long Beach earthquake was the single largest PWA funded program in the country, totaling ~$34.7 million (LA Times, May 23, 1937).  It was overseen by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and proceeded in two cycles, 1934-35 and 1935-37. The first cycle...

Following the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, two new buildings were constructed at Sixty-First Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, CA with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA). Construction lasted 1936-37 and totaled $83,796. Although the campus has since been expanded, both New Deal–era structures survive. A. S. Nibecker Jr designed a single-story school building housing classrooms, offices, nurses’ rooms, etc. This building is likely the one on W 60th St, although it could also be the one hidden behind trailers on S Flower St. Both are tile-roofed, PWA Moderne style structures. The auditorium at the corner of S Figueroa St and...

Sixty-Sixth Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, CA was renovated with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA) between 1934 and 1937. In 1934-35, the main school building on E 67th St was rebuilt by architect Gene Verge and contractor Harry F. Miller. In 1936-37, a two-story classroom building was added on San Pedro St. This Streamline Moderne structure was also designed by Verge; note the curved corners at the main entrance. Both buildings survive in the southwest corner of campus. The reconstruction and renovation of Los Angeles schools damaged by the 1933 Long Beach earthquake was the single largest PWA funded...

In 1939, the Public Works Administration (PWA) provided funding to improve Slauson Ave. between Deane Ave. and Angeles Vista in Los Angeles, CA.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum holds hundreds of works from the New Deal’s art programs:  Public Works of Art Project, Section of Fine Arts, Treasury Relief Art Project, and Federal Art Project. These artworks are mostly in storage, but at any time there may be several New Deal paintings and sculptures on display in special exhibitions.   Much of the Smithsonian's New Deal collection can found found online, too.  This search generated 520 results: https://collections.si.edu/search/results.htm?fq=data_source%3A%22Smithsonian+American+Art+Museum%22&q=federal+art+project&gfq=CSILP_1

Harry W. Scheuch completed two murals for the PWAP titled "Workers on the Cathedral of Learning" and "Finishing the Cathedral of Learning" that were transferred from U.S. Department of Labor to the Smithsonian American Art Museum. According to the Smithsonian: "Artist Harry Scheuch painted the Cathedral of Learning twice for the PWAP. The first image is a close-up view of the masons at work(1964.1.157), while this second painting (1964.1.42) is a more distant view that reveals the horde of workers involved. Together the two paintings tell the story of this mighty undertaking. The forty-two-story structure was not substantially completed until 1937,...

Solano Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles, CA was remodeled with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA) in 1936. The PWA Moderne style building features Spanish Revival elements, including a tile roof and arched doorways. It was designed by architect Raphael A. Nicolais and built by contractor R. E. Campbell for $45,979. The reconstruction and renovation of Los Angeles schools damaged by the 1933 Long Beach earthquake was the single largest PWA funded program in the country, totaling ~$34.7 million (LA Times, May 23, 1937).  It was overseen by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and proceeded in...

In 1937, a new building was constructed at the Sophia T. Salvin Special Education Center (formerly Washington Boulevard Elementary School) in Los Angeles, CA with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA). The single-story, 23-room building was designed by architect W. F. Ruck and built by contractor H. A. Nichols for $146,452. The school has historically served students with physical and mental disabilities. The reconstruction and renovation of Los Angeles schools damaged by the 1933 Long Beach earthquake was the single largest PWA funded program in the country, totaling ~$34.7 million (LA Times, May 23, 1937).  It was overseen by...

The Public Works Administration funded the construction of the South Beach Elementary School in Miami Beach FL in 1935. The PWA awarded a $205,000 grant for the construction of three schools in the district, while 495,000 school district bond covered the rest of the construction costs. The construction costs of the elementary school amounted to $103,000. Original school demolished and new one built under a new name.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the South Fork Ranger Station on the Alpine Loop Road (Highway 92), near the intersection of Highway 144, in 1933-34. The CCC enrollees who did the work were from Company 940 stationed in Camp F-5 at Granite Flat. The work was begun in the Summer of 1933 and a small CCC crew remained through the winter to finish work on the ranger station and the Timpanogos Cave trail and tunnel (Baldridge, p. 164). This is one of around three dozen ranger stations built by the CCC across Utah in the 1930s (Roper 2021).  South Fork Ranger...

In 1938, tempera murals depicting the "History of Printing Through the Ages" were created by Suzanne Miller with Federal Art Project (FAP) funds. There were originally five panels in this series; two have been destroyed, but the murals depicting the history of printing in China, Egypt, and "Modern" times remain. Originally, they were located in the former Long Beach Public Library, which became the South Gate Historical Museum in 1980.

In 1935-37, improvements were made to South Gate High School in South Gate, CA with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA). In 1935, the administration building was remodeled for $80,608. The PWA Moderne building with Spanish Revival elements was designed by architect Edgar H. Cline and built by contractors Bannister-Field and Fred E. Potts Company. It is extant on Firestone Blvd. In 1936-37, architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood designed and contractors Reid & Alexander built classroom and shop buildings, as well as an auditorium and gym. The classroom and auditorium flank the administration building. The single-story shop building is on Dearborn Ave;...

In 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the Park Store building at South Higgins Lake State Park, which still stands.   It is "one of the many buildings constructed around Northern Michigan by during the depths of the Great Depression... and it  has stood the test of time, but not without some periodic restoration." (Reznich 2012) The CCC undoubtedly did other improvements in the park, but we do not have details on that.

Following the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, South Park Elementary School in Los Angeles, CA was rebuilt with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA). Construction lasted 1935-37 and totaled $170,278. Although the campus has since been expanded, the New Deal structures survive. Two single-story buildings were built by Monolith Construction Company in 1935. One is located off Towne Ave in the northwest corner of campus. This building adjoins the other, which is tucked away in the center of campus. Simultaneously, contractor H. A. Nichols reconstructed the school's 3-story, 18-room annex off S Avalon Blvd. All three structures were built in PWA...

In 1935, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) undertook a large road repair project in the borough of Queens. Stretches of Springfield Boulevard in the Bayside and Jamaica neighborhoods were improved as part of this project (WPA Official Project No. 65-97-9). Particular emphasis was placed on fixing washout-damaged stretches of road; holes were filled in and the streets were smoothed, surfaced, and reconditioned.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built and completed improvements at the Springtown Tabernacle in Springtown TX. The Inspection Reports indicate the perimeter stone and wood fence was constructed in 1934. The pavilion (as it is called in the NPS Inspector Reports) was constructed in the latter part of 1937. There was no marker on site indicating that it was constructed by the CCC. There is a marker designating the structure as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (2017).

In 1935-37, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) built an art museum for the city of Springville UT.  The building was designed in the style of the Spanish Colonial Revival style by local architect Claud S. Ashworth. The Nebo School District donated the land, the town of Springville granted $29,000 in materials and tools, and the Mormon/LDS church offered another $20,000. The WPA contribution was $54,000, chiefly in labor costs. WPA workers also manufactured the decorative tile for the museum. The Springville Museum of Art is, in fact, the oldest museum in Utah for the visual fine arts. In 1964, a two story wing was...

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded construction of the St. Helena Dam to provide water for St. Helena, California, in the Napa Valley.  The PWA grant was $30,000; the local share of costs in unknown. The dam was part of $802,000 in PWA funds granted to Napa County, July 1938 to June 1939, to support $1.78 million in infrastructure projects. The dam was built in 1938-39 off York Creek just a bit northwest of town.  The reservoir created by the dam is now known as "The Lower Reservoir" because two larger reservoirs have been added to the local system in the hills...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) began to pursue improvements at San Jose’s St. James Park in 1937. While the two-square block city park had long been central to public and political life in the city, project leaders hoped that the New Deal initiative would make it “more attractive than ever.” Specific improvements such as “revamping” the park’s landscape and constructing an underground sprinkler system were estimated to cost $35,000. Another $150,000 were initially penciled in for the construction of new facilities and more general improvements in and around the park, but only restrooms were built. It appears.   An historical evaluation of...

The Works Progress Administration built the Stanton County Museum in Johnson KS in 1935. The structure is built of native stone.

Designed by William E. Webb in WPA/PWA Moderne style, Starr King Elementary School was built in 1934 with Public Works Administration (PWA) funding. The 1933 Long Beach 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...

The auditorium at State Street Elementary School in South Gate, CA was built with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA) in 1936-37. The Mission Revival structure was designed by architect Henry E. Bean and built by contractor L. W. Odell for $39,560. The reconstruction and renovation of Los Angeles schools damaged by the 1933 Long Beach earthquake was the single largest PWA funded program in the country, totaling ~$34.7 million (LA Times, May 23, 1937).  It was overseen by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and proceeded in two cycles, 1934-35 and 1935-37. The first cycle began in Spring 1934,...

The State Street subway line was one of two initial subway lines to open in the city of Chicago, IL, done in conjunction with the construction of the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway line.  Both were made possible by the Public Works Administration (PWA) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The subway line has undergone major expansions and alterations since the 1930’s, but it still exists today as a portion of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Red Line subway system. State Street property owners were the first to call for the State Street Subway, but they were also the first to oppose the original...

The 1933 Long Beach Earthquake destroyed hundreds of schools throughout Southern California. Designed by Clarence N. Aldrich in WPA/PWA Moderne style, Stevenson Elementary School (Buildings A and B) was reconstructed in 1934 with Public Works Administration (PWA) funding. “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...

Works Progress Administration project No. 50,037 for $21,140 was approved September 26, 1940 for rehabilitation and additions to the Stone County courthouse constructed in 1917. Architects were Smith and Norwood. The project was slated to begin in early January 1941. By fall of 1941, the Report of the Grand Jury Circuit stated the process of repair and addition of wings would provide sufficient office space. A stairway was in process of construction at the rear of the courthouse to lead into the center of the courthouse and it was thought to lead to interference with court hearings so the Board...

In 1939, a major public works began in Santa Monica Canyon and Rustic Canyon to construct a new open-channel storm drain designed to replace the inadequate system that had failed during the March 1938 flood. Funded primarily by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) with additional contributions from the City of Los Angeles, the $461,069 project aimed to protect the community from future flood damage. Stretching about 2,500 feet from Mesa Drive to the ocean, the drain’s construction included new bridges at street crossings and the conversion of parts of the existing channel into a highway. The project employed 500 WPA...

Beginning July 1, 1937, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed a storm drain in Sherman Oaks, CA. The project employed 272 men for 10 months. The drain was located between the Los Angeles River to the north, Valley Vista Blvd to the south, Katherine Ave to the east, and Sepulveda Blvd to the west.

In 1935-36, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) built a system of storm drains in Vernon, CA. The drain is located along 37th St to the north, Vernon Ave to the south, Ross St to the west, and the Los Angeles River to the east. In addition, the WPA installed 15,050 linear feet of concrete and VC pipe. The whole project was constructed at a total cost of $272,448.

Public Works Administration project 3566 for street construction in Moss Point was approved 4/11/1934 for a $13,500 loan and $4,802 grant. Construction began 11/14/1935 and was completed 6/22/1936.

The city of Biloxi embarked on a city-wide street improvement program to surface streets and provide storm drains, funded by the Works Progress Administration between 1935 and 1937. WP-53, 2000 and 3483 for three street paving projects were completed. WP-53 and 2,000 expenditure was $72,753.50 federal and $18,938 sponsor contribution. WP-3843 was for $105,505 federal and sponsor $27,625. Work included grading and shelling, asphalt pavement, and concrete storm sewer installation .

Public Works Administration project x1377 was approved for a grant of $33,750 on 9/17/1938. The total cost of improvements was approximately $75,000 and were reported to be "one of the most complete street paving system of any town its size in the state" (Street Paving, 1939, p. 3). The Trinidad Asphalt Corporation was the contractor. Construction began Dec. 8, 1938 and was completed Aug. 19, 1939.

A Depression-era street pavement project in Waveland, Mississippi was undertaken with a grant by the Public Works Administration (PWA). Opening bids were advertised for the $49,000 street paving project in Waveland following the approval of the PWA project 4408. The allotment was approved 2/1/1934 for a loan of $35,500 and grant for $14,375. The contract for 23,800 square yards of paving was awarded to Higgison for a bid of $45,823.75. Construction began 6/12/1934 and was completed 8/9/1934 for paving of Waveland avenue from Front street to Railroad avenue, Railroad avenue from Waveland to Coleman avenue, and Coleman avenue from Bourgeois street...

Amory initiated a street paving program in 1938, using $100,000 in municipal bonds, a Public Works Administration (PWA) grant of $81,818, and a Works Progress Administration (WPA) contribution of $20,000. PWA project x1284 was approved 9/7/1938. Construction began November 23, and was completed 11/15/1939.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) provided labor to improve Stockton’s Stribley Park in 1938. The improvement project was one of several WPA efforts in the City. “It is reported that $21,903 will be spent in a city-wide improvement program of municipal playground facilities at Stockton, Calif., which is under way as a WPA project,” a contemporary journalist reported in June 1938. “Two tennis courts will be constructed at Stribley Park and two at the Municipal Baths.” The park still exists today. Facilities include baseball diamonds and picnic areas. It appears as though the tennis courts mentioned above were refurbished as handball courts.

Stuart Hall was constructed in 1939-40 with New Deal funding, presumably from the Public Works Administration (PWA) (then under the Federal Works Administration).  The building, which is named after Arsenal Tech's first principal, stands in the center of the 75-acre Arsenal Technical High School campus. Stuart Hall is a long, four-story brick building with a central bell tower that holds a carillon. It is meant to echo the look of the original Civil War arsenal building on campus, but in the Moderne (Deco) style popular in the 1930s, done by Pierre & Wright architects. The bell tower has three narrow windows...

Prior to the building of the Summit County Hospital, operations were done on kitchen tables, in a room over the mercantile, or on a portable operating table. Thus, the county’s doctors were motivated to work with the Summit County Commissioners to build a hospital in Summit County using PWA funds ($51,830, PWA Utah 1216-F). The building was started in December 1938 and completed one year later. It was a brick structure, 124 feet by 42 feet, containing 14 beds, surgery, delivery room, x-ray department, nursery, kitchen, etc., and had modern equipment throughout. An Open House was held January 7, 1940, for...