Connecticut Sites

This oil-on-canvas Section of Fine Arts mural entitled “Romance of Southington” was painted in 1942 by Ann Hunt Spence.

The oil-on-canvas mural "Early Clockmaking" was painted by Suzanne and Lucerne McCullough for the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. The mural was installed in the Thomaston, Connecticut post office lobby in 1939.

This four-panel mural, created for the historic former post office building in Torrington, Connecticut, "depicts episodes in the life of John Brown, who was born in Torrington." The total cost of the project was $350. The model for the mother (right panel) is rumored to be artist Arthur Covey "in drag." The murals have since been relocated to the present Torrington postal facility on Elm St.

The historic post office building in West Haven, Connecticut houses an example of New Deal artwork: a Treasury Section of Fine Arts-commissioned mural, entitled "Fording of the West River to Settle West Haven." The work was painted in 1938 by Elizabeth Shannon Phillips. The mural "depicts an assortment of colonial settlers, most probably leaving the New Haven Colony proper to settle the land to the west. Men and work animals struggle to drag carts through the water, and a saintly mother and child epitomize the religious underpinning of the settlement." (https://murallocator.org)

The historic Winsted post office contains a federal Treasury Section of Fine Arts-funded mural entitled "Lincoln's Arbiter Settles the Winsted Post Office Controversy." The oil-on-canvas work was painted in 1938 by Amy Jones.

Kindred McLeary painted five tempera-on-plaster murals for the Norwalk post office in 1941. The post office was renovated in 1963, leaving three murals "Present Products of South Norwalk;" "Past Products of South Norwalk;" and "Indians Instructing Pioneers in Forest Lore" in what is now the Postmaster's office (not generally accessible to the public). Two other murals—"Old Well," the largest of the original murals, and "Bays and Oyster Fishing"—were destroyed during the renovation.

Section of Fine Arts "wooden reliefs entitled "Stringing", "Transplanting" and "Harvesting" originally installed in 1943 by Nena de Brennecke. Were moved to the "new" post office in 1963." (flickr)

This marble relief sculpture of an eagle at the front entrance to Norwalk's main post office was created by Gaetano Cecere, a New York artist who studied in Europe and whose work can also be seen in the Post Office Department building in Washington, D.C. (NRHP)

The historic post office building in Oakville, Connecticut houses an example of New Deal artwork: a Treasury Section of Fine Arts wood relief entitled “The Picknickers,” created by Theodore C. Barbarossa in 1941.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) paved 34 streets in Hartford, Connecticut, including Preston Street, as part of a $2.5 million, two-year paving project begun in 1937. The federal government contributed $1 million.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) paved 34 streets in Hartford, Connecticut, including Prospect Avenue from Park Street to Farmington Avenue, as part of a $2.5 million, two-year paving project begun in 1937. The federal government contributed $1 million.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built a disposal plant in Putnam CT, circa 1936-1937. The WPA-built facilities included the control house and plant filter beds.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.) built  Reeves Road in East Hampton and Portland, Connecticut.

Multiple municipal improvement projects were conducted in West Hartford in 1937-8 utilizing Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) labor. One such project involved storm sewer construction along the adjacent Richard St., Seymour St., and Thomas St.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.) "widened and resurfaced 3 mi. of River Road. For mapping purposes, Living New Deal believes this is River Road, as opposed to River Road.

The WPA was involved with development projects in Rocky Neck as well as other Connecticut state parks. The "356-foot long Rocky Neck Park Pavilion was the largest of all Depression-era Works Progress Administration public works projects constructed in Connecticut."   (lcweb2.loc.gov) "The 710-acre Rocky Neck State Park was acquired by the State of Connecticut because a group of conservationists, using their personal funds, secured the land in 1931. The State Legislature subsequently authorized its purchase. The WPA then improved the park land for public access and constructed the park buildings. ...The shelter (pavilion) is located on top of a bluff with great views...

"Park improvements were started by the Federal Emergency Relief Association in 1934 and completed by the Works Administration in 1936." The WPA was also involved in projects within this and other Connecticut state parks.

The bridge carrying Rose Hill Road across Carr Brook in Portland, Connecticut was constructed by the W.P.A. in 1938.

"Packet Day at the Five Mile River" was painted by George Avison in 1937 with funding from the WPA Federal Art Project. It was restored circa 1986. The mural is located at the Rowayton Community Center and Library.

Camp Stuart, Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.) Company #1194, operated between July 8, 1935 and May 31, 1937. It conducted development work at the newly-established Salmon River State Park. Work included construction of one mile of truck trails, "the clearing of miles of cross-country ski trails," and dam construction.

A large sanitary sewer construction project, which included what was then known as the Center Trunk Sewer, was enabled during the 1930s in West Hartford, Connecticut by the provision of federal Public Works Administration (P.W.A) funds. PWA Project No. CT W 1275

The original component of what is now Saugatuck Elementary School was originally constructed as an second building for what was then Staples High School. The project was undertaken with federal Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) sponsorship. The P.W.A. supplied a $51,750 grant for the project, whose total cost was $113,925. Construction occurred between Dec. 1935 and Apr. 1937. The facility has since been expanded. P.W.A. Docket No. CT 1038

The Public Works Administration funded the construction of a new school in Lyme CT. The school was built in colonial style with rock veneer walls. The exact location and condition of this structure are unknown to the Living New Deal.

The C.C.C. created Scheeder Pond in 1934. It also developed a swimming area within the pond.

"The CCC created Schreeder Pond in 1934 by building a horseshoe-shaped earth and stone dam across Chatfield Hollow Brook."

In 1933/4 the federal Civil Works Administration (C.W.A.) furnished the labor toward the development of an athletic area / playground at Sedgwick Middle School in West Hartford—specifically the planting of elm trees at the northern and western sides of the grounds.

The Public Works Administration funded the construction of a sewage plant in Hartford CT. Pictured are the digesting and storage tanks. The exact location and condition of this facility are unknown to the Living New Deal.

The Public Works Administration funded the construction of a sewage plant in Torrington, Litchfield CT, circa 1936. The exact location and condition of this facility are unknown to the Living New Deal.

In 1933 the federal Civil Works Administration (C.W.A.) furnished the labor for upgrading the conditions of what was then known as the Seymour School. Specifically, four light bulbs were installed in each classroom, improving lighting substantially. During the winter of 1934-5 the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) conducted repair work and painting at the "new section" of the school. The West Hartford Library details the history of the building: "Smith Elementary School was originally called the Seymour School and was first opened in 1915. In 1948, the name of the school was changed to honor Florence E. Smith who had been its...

The Works Progress Administration built cages for, and landscaped the grounds of, the Bird and Animal Sanctuary in Shade Swamp CT, circa 1937. The Civilian Conservation Corps built a log and shingle shelter in 1934. The structure is is still on site and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Shade Swamp Bird and Animal Sanctuary is still extant, but the site is abandoned.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) conducted substantial work at Shenipsit State Forest in northern Connecticut. Work was undertaken by Camp Conner, housing Company #1192, which operated from Sept. 5, 1935 to May 23, 1941. Projects, which include those given separate pages on this website, included "miles of hiking trails" and "clean-up after the Flood of 1936 and the Hurricane of 1938 in East Hartford, Stafford Springs, and South Windsor."

"The shoreline parks: Hammonassett Beach, Sherwood Island and Rocky Neck were all completed during this time period as WPA projects."

"The bridge is significant as a representative example of standard 20th-century truss construction. Typical features of the period include the Pratt-truss design, concrete-slab deck, and the use of rolled I-beams. The railing design suggests an Art Deco stylistic influence. The bridge also has historical significance: it was one of a group of Connecticut bridges financed by federal public-works funds following natural disasters in 1936 and 1938." (Bridge Hunter) The Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) supplied a $44,860 grant for the bridge's construction, whose total cost was $79,397. Construction occurred between Dec. 1938 and Aug. 1939. The bridge has since been rehabilitated and does...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) paved 34 streets in Hartford, Connecticut, including Shultas Place, as part of a $2.5 million, two-year paving project begun in 1937. The federal government contributed $1 million.

The Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) conducted a large development / improvement program at the City of Bridgeport's municipal airport, located in Stratford. It is now known as Sikorsky Memorial Airport. Official Project Number: 165‐1‐15‐34 Total project cost: $1,053,827.00 Sponsor: City of Bridgeport

"The Sleeping Giant Tower was built at the top in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 as part of the Connecticut State Park and Forest Depression-Era Federal Work Relief Programs Structures."   (wikipedia.org) A tour of Sleeping Giant State Park described by The New York Times recommends: "Swing left on the blue path at Hezekiah’s Knob. Among the many highlights of this return route are the stone tower, built by the Works Progress Administration; the sheer drop from the jutting basaltic shelf of the chin; and a vertiginous scramble down the...

The C.C.C.'s Camp Graves "created trails to the Soapstone Mountain Fire Tower in Shenipsit State Forest."

The W.P.A. paved South St. at Sumner St. (now deKoven Drive) in Middletown, Connecticut. Work was likely in conjunction with a P.W.A. disposal plant and sewer construction project.

A school construction project was undertaken in Danbury as a federal Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project. Living New Deal believes this to be South Street Elementary School. The original structure is located behind a newer addition to the facility. The P.W.A. supplied a $15,468 grant for the project, whose total cost was $34,918. Construction occurred between Jan. 1937 and Jan. 1938. P.W.A. Docket No. CT 1276

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) paved 34 streets in Hartford, Connecticut, including South Street, as part of a $2.5 million, two-year paving project begun in 1937. The federal government contributed $1 million.