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  • Addams Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    Designed by Edwall James Baume, the original five units and garden courts at Addams Elementary School were built in 1934 with Public Works Administration (PWA) funding. Addams 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...
  • Addams Elementary School Fresco - Long Beach CA
    In 1938, under the auspices of the WPA Federal Art Project (FAP), artist Suzanne Miller completed the fresco "A Visit to the Jungle" for Jane Addams Elementary School library in Long Beach, CA. According to the Arts Council for Long Beach, "This story-telling mural illustrates an original children’s fable, written by the artist, where children encounter an assortment of wise and friendly animals. Contemporaneous accounts note that the artist wrote a story of children visiting the jungle specifically to accompany her mural at the Jane Addams School." Miller also completed murals at the old Lincoln Park Main Library and Franklin Classical...
  • Billie Jean King Main Library Murals - Long Beach CA
    Suzanne Miller painted a nine-panel series of murals in 1937 under the auspices of the WPA Federal Art Project (FAP). Known both as "Children's Stories" and "Scenes from English Language Literature," the murals were originally located at the old Lincoln Park Main Library in Long Beach, CA. After it burned down, the murals were relocated to the new Billie Jean King Main Library. The murals include scenes drawn from Hiawatha (Longfellow), Il Penseroso (Milton), Vicar of Wakefield (Goldsmith), Rip Van Winkle (Irving), King Solomon (Old Testament), Man with the Hoe (Markham), Alice in Wonderland (Carroll), Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard...
  • Bobbie Smith Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    Bobbie Smith Elementary School (formerly Burnett Elementary School) was reconstructed with Public Works Administration (PWA) funding in 1934/35. The original structure was demolished by the State Emergency Relief Administration (SERA) after the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake. The new one-story, steel frame structure was divided into classrooms and equipped with modern facilities. 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...
  • Bryant Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    Designed by Raymond A. Sites, Bryant Elementary School (Building A) was built in 1934 with Public Works Administration (PWA) funding. The style is PWA Moderne. 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...
  • Burbank Elementary School Rehabilitation - Long Beach, CA
    The 1933 Long Beach Earthquake destroyed hundreds of schools throughout Southern California. Originally built in 1922, Burbank Elementary School in Long Beach, CA, was rehabilitated by Kenneth S. Wing in 1935/36 with New Deal 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 new schools were...
  • Cherry Ave Lifeguard Station - Long Beach CA
    In 1938, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) built a three-story lifeguard station in Long Beach, CA. Originally located at the foot of Linden Avenue, it was moved to Cherry Avenue in 1961.
  • Downtown Post Office and Federal Building - Long Beach CA
    The old downtown post office and federal building in Long Beach, CA, was built in large part under the New Deal, contrary to the date and name on the cornerstone. The building was planned and started under the Hoover Administration and the cornerstone laid in late 1932, but before construction was far along, the Long Beach earthquake hit in March 1933. There is some dispute over whether the quake did major damage to the unfinished structure.  Certainly, everything had to be checked out and some damaged material removed before construction could resume.  The building opened in September 1934. The design is Classical...
  • Edison Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    Edison Elementary School was reconstructed with New Deal funding following the devastating 1933 Long Beach Earthquake. Designed by Earle R. Bobbe in WPA/PWA Moderne style, Buildings A and B were completed in 1935. A relief panel, likely executed by a WPA artist, is located over the entrance to the school. “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,...
  • Fire Station 7 - Long Beach CA
    The Works Progress Administration (WPA) rebuilt Long Beach Fire Department Station No. 7 after it was destroyed in the 1933 earthquake.
  • Fire Station 9 - Long Beach CA
    The Works Progress Administration (WPA) rebuilt Long Beach Fire Department Station No. 9 in 1939 after it was destroyed in the 1933 earthquake.
  • Franklin Classical Middle School - Long Beach CA
    Designed by architect George D. Riddle in PWA Moderne style, buildings 100 and 300 at Franklin Classical Middle School in Long Beach, CA, were completed in 1934. The 1933 Long Beach Earthquake destroyed the school originally designed by J.C. Austin and W. Horace Austin in 1922 at 6th and Orange; the school is now located at 6th and Cerritos. “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...
  • Franklin Classical Middle School Mural - Long Beach CA
    Franklin Classical Middle School in Long Beach, CA, is home to a mural likely completed under the auspices of the WPA Federal Art Project (FAP). The artist and date of completion are unknown, although Suzanne Miller is a possibility. Located in the school's main entryway as well as along the northern and southern stairwells, the mural "depict a landscape scene of mountains, rivers, and trees using browns, greens, and blues. The mural is painted on canvas and attached to the walls in the main entryway. The canvas is cut to fit the walls on either side of the small doorway sidesunder...
  • Franklin Classical Middle School Reliefs - Long Beach CA
    Franklin Classical Middle School in Long Beach, CA, is home to three concrete Bas Relief panels likely completed under the auspices of the WPA Federal Art Project (FAP). The artist and date of completion are unknown. The first relief is located above the entrance to the girls locker room. It "depicts the words 'Health' and 'Beauty' flanked by three female profiles, on both sides of the phrase, looking towards each other and shaking hands. On the other side of the profiles there are four horizontal sections forming a zigzag pattern on the edges. The profiles and words are painted a flesh...
  • Fremont Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    Designed by Glenn E. Miller and Hugh Gibbs, Fremont Elementary School 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...
  • Garfield Elementary School Rehabilitation - Long Beach, CA
    The 1933 Long Beach Earthquake destroyed hundreds of schools throughout Southern California. Originally built in 1930, Garfield Elementary School in Long Beach, CA, was rehabilitated by D. Easton Herrald in 1935 with New Deal 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 new schools were...
  • Jefferson Leadership Academy - Long Beach CA
    Jefferson Leadership Academy (formerly Jefferson Junior High School) was rebuilt with New Deal funding after the original structure was destroyed in the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake. Designed by Warren Dedrick in WPA/PWA Moderne style, the academic and arts/sciences buildings were constructed in 1934; the shop building in 1935; and the boy’s and girl's physical education buildings, library, and cafeteria in 1936. 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...
  • Jordan High School - Long Beach CA
    The Works Progress Administration (WPA) undertook various improvements and constructed an athletic field at Jordan High School. The WPA spent another $4,900 improving the school grounds.
  • Lafayette Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    The 1933 Long Beach Earthquake destroyed hundreds of schools throughout Southern California. Established in 1926 (as Chestnut Avenue Elementary School), Lafayette Elementary School was rebuilt in 1936 with New Deal 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 new schools were constructed with basic amenities...
  • Lincoln Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    Designed by Cutter Kirtland, Lincoln Elementary School 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...
  • Lincoln Park Public Library (former) - Long Beach CA
    The Lincoln Park Public Library was originally funded by the Carnegie Foundation and built in 1907. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) rehabilitated the library after it was damaged by the March 1933 Long Beach earthquake.  It appears that the reconstruction was thorough (but confirmation is needed). The library was destroyed by a fire in 1972. Suzanne Miller's series of WPA Federal Art Project (FAP) murals were relocated to the new Billie Jean King Main Library.
  • Lindbergh STEAM Academy - Long Beach CA
    Lindbergh STEAM Academy (originally Lindbergh Junior High School) was rebuilt by the Public Works Administration (PWA) in 1935 after the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake destroyed the original 1930 structure. The school was designed in WPA/PWA Moderne style by D. Easton Herrald to resemble an airplane with the main entry, library, and administrative offices the nose of the aircraft and the classrooms the wings. Above the main entrance is a relief map of Charles Lindbergh's historic transatlantic flight. 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...
  • Lindbergh STEAM Academy Mural - Long Beach CA
    This massive 5' x 132' mural titled "History of Flight" is located in the library at Lindbergh STEAM Academy in Long Beach, CA. Jean Goodwin Ames and Arthur Ames designed the mural under the auspices of the Work Projects Administration Art Project (WPAAP); Serena Swanson, Dorr Bothwell, Elizabeth Mills, and Mary Stanfield painted it. Completed in 1940, the mural depicts aviation history "through an array of cultures, empires, countries and eras including the Turkish/Persians period, Greek Gods, the early modern period depicted through the Renaissance, and the modern era illustrated through the British colonies in the 1700s, the flight of a hot...
  • Long Beach City College, Liberal Arts Campus: English Building - Long Beach CA
    Three buildings at Long Beach City College's Liberal Arts Campus (formerly Long Beach Junior College) were constructed with Public Works Administration (PWA) funding in 1935. The original campus was destroyed by the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake. The English building was constructed "of wood frame and stucco, with 17,400 square feet of floor space" (Short & Stanley-Brown, 1939). The building's status—extant or not—is yet to be confirmed. The physical-science and language/social-science buildings were also completed with PWA funding at this time.
  • Long Beach City College, Liberal Arts Campus: Language/Social-Science Building - Long Beach CA
    Three buildings at Long Beach City College's Liberal Arts Campus (formerly Long Beach Junior College) were constructed with Public Works Administration (PWA) funding in 1935. The original campus was destroyed by the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake. The language/social-science building "has 20,700 square feet of floor area and is constructed of wood frame and stucco" (Short & Stanley-Brown, 1939). The building's status—extant or not—is yet to be confirmed. The physical-science and English buildings were also completed with PWA funding at this time.
  • Long Beach City College, Liberal Arts Campus: Physical-Science Building - Long Beach CA
    Three buildings at Long Beach City College's Liberal Arts Campus (formerly Long Beach Junior College) were constructed with Public Works Administration (PWA) funding in 1935. The original campus was destroyed by the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake. The physical-science building was "constructed of steel frame and studding, providing approximately 24,000 square feet of usable floor area" (Short & Stanley-Brown, 1939). The building's status—extant or not—is yet to be confirmed. The English and language/social-science buildings were also completed with PWA funding at this time.
  • Longfellow Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    Longfellow Elementary School was built in 1935, likely with New Deal funding. It is unclear if the 1935 structure(s) survived subsequent additions/remodels. 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 constructed...
  • Los Cerritos Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    The 1933 Long Beach Earthquake destroyed hundreds of schools throughout Southern California. Originally built in 1924, Los Cerritos Elementary School was reconstructed with New Deal funding in 1935. “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,...
  • Lowell Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    Originally constructed in 1926, Lowell Elementary School was rehabilitated in 1935 by Edward Leodore Mayberry with New Deal funding following the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake. The style is 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...
  • Lowell Elementary School Sculpture - Long Beach CA
    Russian-born sculptor Louis Zack created this bust of James Russell Lowell, the school's namesake, in 1940, with funding from the Work Projects Administration Arts Project (WPAAP). Carved from a single block of brown marble, "the bust rests on a black terrazzo base set onto a wooden podium. The black base is engraved on three sides: the left side lists the artist’s name and the date, the front states the name of the person depicted “James Russell Lowell”, and the right side names the Agency commissioning the work “WPA/So. Calif. Art Project” (LBUSD WPA Artwork Collections Assessment Guidelines Survey, p....
  • Mann Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    Designed by Watson L. Hawk, Mann Elementary School was built in 1935 with New Deal funding. The style is WPA/PWA Moderne. 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 constructed with...
  • McKinley Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    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...
  • Municipal Airport: Clements Mosaics - Long Beach CA
    Floor mosaics depicting a variety of images pertaining to aviation can be found throughout the Long Beach Airport Terminal. They were created for the terminal in 1939-41 by then 28-year-old artist Grace Richardson Clements. Clements was hired through the Work Projects Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project. In 2012, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported: "For years, works of art lay hidden beneath the feet of millions of passengers who annually frequent the Long Beach Airport. It wasn't until recently, when the airport's maintenance team was restoring the terminal, that the 1941 mosaics by Works Progress Administration artist Grace Clements were found underneath...
  • Municipal Airport: Runway Improvements - Long Beach CA
    In 1940-41, the Work Projects Administration (WPA) made a major upgrade to the Long Beach Airport, then known as Daugherty Field, which had been constructed in 1923.  WPA relief workers improved the airport runways and constructed a new terminal building. The project employed roughly 1,000 relief workers. Exactly what runway improvements were done is unknown to us. "The were completed and scheduled for grand opening on December 7, 1941, the day Pearl Harbor was attacked. Instead, it was repainted in camouflage and used a billet for soldiers and military guns. The terminal formally opened on April 26, 1942" (Schipske). The runways,...
  • Municipal Airport: Terminal Building - Long Beach CA
    In 1940-41, the Works Projects Administration (WPA) made major improvements to the Long Beach Airport, then known as Daugherty Field. WPA relief workers constructed a new terminal and control tower building. The two-story terminal was designed by Horace Austin and Kenneth Wing in the Streamline Moderne style, with a nautical touch. The mosaics inside the building are the work of WPA-artist Grace Richardson Clements. "In the late 1930s, the council approved plans to purchase 255 acres adjoining the municipal airport and the construction of a three-story administration building and tower at the east side of the airfield. The airfield was improved...
  • Naples Canal - Long Beach CA
    The Works Progress Administration (WPA) reconstructed the retaining walls along Naples Canal in Long Beach, CA, after the 1933 earthquake "caused a slump in the sidewalk area directly behind the wall, making a dangerous passageway for pedestrians and threatening the stability of homes back of the property line" (Connolly and Farman).
  • Naples Elementary School Rehabilitation - Long Beach, CA
    The 1933 Long Beach Earthquake destroyed hundreds of schools throughout Southern California. Originally built in 1929, Naples Elementary School in Long Beach, CA, was rehabilitated by Watson L. Hawk 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 new...
  • Nieto Herrera Elementary School - Long Beach CA
    Designed by George W. Kahrs, Buildings A and C at Nieto Herrera Elementary School (formerly Robert E. Lee Elementary School) were built in 1935 with New Deal 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...
  • Ocean Ave Retaining Wall - Long Beach CA
    The Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed retaining walls in Long Beach, CA, between Ocean Boulevard and the Pacific Ocean. The existing wooden bulkhead "was not of sufficient height to protect adjacent streets and private property from ground swells which at high tide, deposited sand, flooded streets and blocked traffic on this main thoroughfare" (Connolly & Farman). Eighty six men were employed over seven months to construct a nine-foot high, 1900-foot long concrete wall. The eastern terminus is at Granada Avenue; the western terminus is at Bennett Avenue.
  • Pacific Coast Highway - Long Beach CA
    A half mile section of the Pacific Coast Highway between Loma Avenue and Hathaway Avenue in Long Beach, CA, was graded and paved under a federal grant of $60,500 in 1935. At the time, it was known as State Street.
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