San Francisco Sites

This 4' x 10' fresco mural "Modern and Ancient Science" by Gordon Langdon depicts the physicist Robert A. Milliken. It is located near the entrance to the library at Washington High School.  

Ralph Stackpole's 5'6" x 27' fresco "Contemporary Education" in the Washington High School library was completed in 1936 with FAP funds.

Completed the final work for a standardized playground.--Healy, p. 58.

18 classrooms, library, auditorium. See Visitacion Valley Elementary School.

(10.42 Acres) Chenery and Elk Streets. Constructed playground, clubhouse and recreation center. Built new entrance, widened 2 tennis courts to regulation size, graded large portion of field, 3 volleyball courts. Clubhouse contains gymnasium, director's office, community theatre and specialy accomodations for women and children. Used daily by children and by adults in evening.--Healy, p. 63.

1 story addition (2 rooms)

The WPA worked on Golden Gate Ave. between Parker and Van Ness.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed the Doyle Drive approach to the Golden Gate Bridge (not itself a New Deal project).  This roadway carried traffic from city streets in the Marina District through the Presidio of San Francisco, which at the time was still a U.S. Army base and headquarters of the 6th Army.   The project included, besides the roadway itself, the carrying of underground electricity, telephone, sewer and water lines. The Doyle Drive approach was demolished and replaced by a new approach road, Presidio Boulevard, in 2009-2015.  The new approach is much larger and passes through twin 850 foot...

A 1940 report identifies the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as having worked on lighting for the Golden Gate bridge, but provides no further details. The work was probably done in 1939-40.  Since no federal agencies were involved in the construction of the Golden Gate bridge itself, and the WPA and Public Works Administration (PWA) were involved in building all the approach roads to the bridge, it is most likely that this report is referring to lighting along the approaches not on the bridge itself.  Further confirmation is needed.      

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built a Lyon Street approach to the Golden Gate Bridge (not itself a New Deal project) to allow access to the bridge by heavy trucks arriving through San Francisco.  These ramps are no longer extant (?). "Construction of main truck route to Golden Gate bridge included filling and paving ramps, pile driving and building superstructure, reconstruction of tennis courts, removed and boxed trees and shrubs; relayed railroad siding; rehabilitated several buildings; built sewers; installed the electrical work; did the cement finish and painting. This work was of heavy construction, corresponding to the type of steel and...

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded the construction of the Veterans Boulevard approach road and tunnel to the Golden Gate Bridge (not itself a New Deal project) in 1939-40.  The roadway runs north-south across the Presidio of San Francisco, connecting Park Presidio Boulevard coming north from Golden Gate Park to Presidio Boulevard, running east-west, and on to the southern entrance to the Golden Gate Bridge.  There is an 800-foot tunnel in the mid-section of the approach road. Apparently, the original name of the roadway was Funston Avenue approach, which was changed sometime after World War II.  

The little-known archery field at the west end of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco was built by Works Progress Administration (WPA) relief laborers.  It is still in regular use.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) and its relief workers built the Angler's Lodge and Casting Pools in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, for the benefit of the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club. In return, Club members agreed to help train anyone who asked, a pledge they still honor.  The club had previously used nearby Stow Lake, which could only accommodate a few casters at a time, so the club encouraged the Golden Gate Park directors to ask the WPA to new facilities. The project was done in 1938 and the facility opened in March 1939. The first national casting tournament was...

Constructed 6 stations at: 14th Avenue and Fulton Street, 19th Avenue and South Drive, Ashbury and Oak Streets ( Golden Gate Park), Gundlach and Vistacion Streets (McLaren Park), Laguna and Clay Streets (Lafayette Square), Judson Avenue (Balboa Park). These are ornamental structures of pleasing architecture, containing the very latest appliances for comfort and rest.--Healy, p. 57. Exact location of this station not certain.

This station is located just to the northwest of the De Young Museum. It is probably the station referred to in Healy as being at 14th and Fulton. "Constructed 6 stations at: 14th Avenue and Fulton Street, 19th Avenue and South Drive, Ashbury and Oak Streets ( Golden Gate Park), Gundlach and Vistacion Streets (McLaren Park), Laguna and Clay Streets (Lafayette Square), Judson Avenue (Balboa Park). These are ornamental structures of pleasing architecture, containing the very latest appliances for comfort and rest."--Healy, p. 57.

Two bas-relief concrete sculptures by Jesse S. "Vet" Anderson (1875-1966), overlooking the WPA funded Golden Gate Park Horseshoe Pits.

As park of extensive improvements around Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed a clubhouse for the San Francisco Model Yacht Club, the members of which sail their elaborate model boats on Spreckels Lake across the road. The WPA report of 1939 included this description: "...a small club house with rest rooms, lockers, storage and repair room for toy boats at Spreckels Lake in Golden Gate Park. The club house is placed in a picturesque setting and affords a delightful resting place for women and children. The club has stimulated great interest in the sport among...

As part of extensive improvements around Golden Gate Park in San Francisco CA, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) built modern stables for the city's mounted police force.  The date of construction was almost certainly 1939, the same as the nearby Public Stables. The stables were built of concrete in the popular Mission Revival style of the time, with a red tile roof. The interiors are made of wood. Both the police stables and public stables, located close to the park's Polo Field, are still in use.  

As part of extensive improvements around Golden Gate Park in San Francisco CA, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) built horse stables for public use in 1939. The four stables are built of wood and arranged in a U around what is now a parking lot. They were renovated around the turn of the millennium and are still in active use. The public stables, like the nearby police stables, are located close to the park's Polo Field.  

4' high sculpture of a "Young Girl" by Jack Moxom funded by the WPA Federal Art Project. Located west of the Sharon Art Studio along the path to Junior Drive. It is part of the Sara S. Cooper Memorial.

As part of extensive improvements throughout Golden Gate Park, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) carried out modest improvement work at the Police Training Academy – now the Golden Gate Park Senior Center.   The work involved alterations to the main office and grading and paving a drill ground behind the building – now a parking lot.  (Healy, pp 70-71). It is likely that the work was done in 1938-39, when the WPA was most active in the park, but we have not been able to verify that.    

Construction of tennis courts in Golden Gate Park and at 38th Ave. and Fulton Street.--Mooser, p. 87. note--this reference is both to the Tennis Courts at the South East end of Golden Gate Park and to a separate set of courts north of the park on 38th, the latter being most likely what are now basketball courts at Cabrillo Playground.

This public outdoor sculpture "Penguin's Prayer" of three penguins is situated in the Golden Gateway Center at the intersection of Davis Street and Jackson Street in San Francisco, CA. It was created by Beniamino Bufano with WPA funding. The three penguins are all carved out of the same porphyry granite. The larger penguin is looking skyward behind the two smaller penguins that face each other. The sculpture was originally made for the Treasure Island Golden Gate Exposition of 1939.

The WPA worked on Gough St. between Market and California.

The WPA worked on Grove St. between Gough and Market.

The WPA worked on Guerrero St. between Market and 14th St.

Cost $55,442 from Sea Cliff thru Lincoln Park to Point Lobos Avenue. Removed existing oiled surface and replaced with a 2 inch asphalt wearing surface for 8/10ths of a mile. Raised 800 lineal feet of settled gutter and sidewalks, resloped the cuts and landscaped the hill sides. It provided a scenic road overlooking Seal Rocks and the Golden Gate and forms the principal approach to the Palace of the Legion of Honor and the western end of the Lincoln Highway.--Healy, p. 48.

Increased the space and facilities for the public use by building a golf club house with concrete floors, frame construiction with stucco exterior and plastic interior and tile roof, installing plumbing, heating and electric equipment, painting inside and out. Private clubs have no better appointments. This is a very popular golf course and the new facilities ahve added materially to the enjoyment of players--Healy, p. 55.

The WPA worked on Harrison St. between 10th and 14th Streets.

This 8.5' x 5' tempera-on-plaster fresco "Community Spirit" was completed in 1935 with New Deal funds (program unknown to the Living New Deal). The mural was painted by Bernard Zakheim with assistance from Joseph Kelly and Phyllis Wrightson.

Helen Wills Park was improved by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1935-36. The WPA relief workers regraded the park, paved the tennis courts and playground area, and repainted the recreation center. The park was established in 1915 as the Spring Valley Playground and renamed the Helen Wills Playground in 1929, in honor of local tennis pioneer, Helen Wills. The park was thoroughly overhauled in the 2000s and the recreation building and playground are completely new.  The tennis court and basketball court could well go back to the WPA era, with new surfaces.  The concrete support wall that levels up the whole...

From FoundSF: "Although widely used in European cities throughout the 20th century, publicly funded housing did not seriously penetrate the U.S. landscape until the Great Depression. An effort to create better and cheaper housing, the first subsidized housing program of 1937 wasn't enacted until it could be coupled economically with the more pressing objective of reducing unemployment and thus stabilizing the economy.... Work began quickly on three of the projects, the most prominent of which was Holly Courts, located on the southern side of Bernal Heights between Holly park and Mission. Designed by Arthur Brown Jr. , also the designer of...

The October 3, 1938 edition of the Daily Pacific Builder reported that $151,291 in PWA funds had been allotted for the Horace Mann gym and cafeteria.

Work consisted of excavation and building masonry rubble walls, 3,000 feet of red rock paths, 600 lineal feet of sewer, a standard convenience station and general renovation of an existing court surrounded by walls of natural floral beauty. This improvement is much appreciated by those who have enjoyed the popular spot for many years in Golden Gate Park. It is suitable for tournaments and competing groups.--Healy, p. 53.

(2.25 Acres) ... Built one football field and one soccer field with parking facilities, demolished old jail and prepared material for future use. The property was transferred to Department of Education for San Francisco Junior College, which is now under construction by P.W.A. grant.--Healy, p. 62.

'Embracing less than one half acre. ... Excavation of 880 cubic yards soft rock, construction of 37 cubic yards of rubble wall, 6 sets of reinforced concrete steps containing 27 cubic yards, installation of irrigation system of 500 pipe feet, 145 lineal feet of 5 feet chain link fence, building 3,150 square feet of crushed rock walks, spreading of 635 cubic yards of loam and manure, planting 100 trees and shrubs over arch of 8,800 square feet. This improvement provided a restful and inspiring retreat at a site commanding a superior view of San Francisco Bay, principally used by mothers...

Built subdrainage system to prevent slide endangering beach. This is the first portion of the development. The former Senator donated the land to the city so that the view could never be taken away from the people of his native city.--Healy, p. 64.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) gave Jackson Park a facelift during the 1930s, or what the City Engineer called "General repairs and dressing up" (Healy, p. 58). We have no evidence on what, if any, traces remain of the WPA work. The park's recreation hall and ballfields were created by the SF Parks and Recreation Commission many year earlier and Jackson Park is where Major League baseball star Tony Lazzeri practiced as a kid. The WPA worked on many of the city's parks and playgrounds during the New Deal.