Kansas Sites

The Works Progress Administration built the City of Elkhart Municipal Building in Elkhart KS in 1937.

This WPA band shell in Concordia's City Park was razed in 1991 when it was deemed unsafe.

The WPA pool and building pictured here was voted in in 1936 and completed in 1939.  The pool was closed and filled in in the 1970's. There is now a basketball court where part of the pool was.  The pool house building is now a shelter house at City Park.

This Fair Barn/Civic Center in Horton, Kansas was constructed by the WPA in 1937-39. W.O. "Tutes" Thomas was the designer and head of construction. The building is still in use for municipal functions and celebrations.

Company 4701 of the CCC built the Bluff Creek Dam in 1936-37 as a Soil Conservation Service project, SCS-28. The body of water created was to later be called Clark State Fishing Lake. Lt. John A.H. Miller was the Commanding Officer of Co. 4701 Lt. G.R. Grimes was the Adjutant R.H. Pennartz was the Project Superintendent J.M. Collie was the educational advisor

The Work Projects Administration (WPA) constructed a bridge on a county road over Coal Creek east of Humboldt, Kansas. Crews were working "around the clock" in August 1941. The location and status of the structure are unknown to Living New Deal, though it is possible this refers to the crossing of Georgia Avenue over Coal Creek / the Neosho River. If so the WPA bridge has likely been replaced.

Works Progress Administration (WPA) built the Colby City Hall in Colby KS in 1935-1936. The limestone building has always served as the City Hall for Colby, KS. The library was housed in the same structure for a time as well, and the Fire Department had an annex attached to this building. The building continues to serve as an office building for city offices.

In 1939, a dead-end wall was constructed at the south end of Columbia Avenue in Salina, Kansas by youths who were employed by the National Youth Administration (NYA). The NYA was a division of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) that focused on training, employing, and educating young people between the ages of 16 and 25. Chris Cotten, Parks and Recreation Director of the City of Salina, Kansas tells us that "n April 1939 the Salina Journal reported that 35 NYA youths, working part time and using rubble masonry, were hired to construct 'ten dead-end walls' on streets that terminated at the Smoky Hill...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built the community building in Douglass, Kansas in 1936. A large stone in the front of the building identifies it as such. The building was nominated for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1939, a dead-end wall was constructed in Salina, Kansas in an area that now sits behind Salina Community Theater. The wall was built by youths who were employed by the National Youth Administration (NYA). The NYA was a division of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) that focused on training, employing, and educating young people between the ages of 16 and 25. Chris Cotten, Parks and Recreation Director of the City of Salina, Kansas tells us that "n April 1939 the Salina Journal reported that 35 NYA youths, working part time and using rubble masonry, were hired to construct 'ten dead-end walls' on...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) created the mile-long Coon Creek in Iola, Kansas in 1937, as a way of mitigating potential flooding in the city after heavy rainstorms. GetRuralKansas.com: "Coon Creek starts at 803 N. Cottonwood, and winds through Iola from east to west until it gets to the Neosho River. It was constructed using 15,663 square yards of quarried rock and hundreds of hours of back breaking WPA labor. Iola is very grateful for these laborers as shown in the picture below. Without Coon Creek, our streets would flood with every big rain!"

"Coronado Heights is a hill northwest of Lindsborg, Kansas. It is alleged to be near the place where Francisco Vasquez de Coronado gave up his search for the seven cities of gold and turned around to return to Mexico. In 1915 a professor at Bethany College in Lindsborg, found chain mail from Spanish armor at an Indian village excavation site a few miles southwest of present Coronado Heights and another Bethany College professor promoted the name of Coronado Heights for the hill. In 1936, a stone shelter resembling a castle was built on top of the hill as a project of...

Atop the hill that is now known as Coronado Heights Park sits an iconic castle, picnic areas, and restrooms that were constructed by the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s. Indeed in 1936 the Lindsborg Historical Society sold the hill for $1 to Saline County so that the WPA could make these improvements. Today the Smoky Valley Historical Association oversees Coronado Heights operations.

The Work Projects Administration (WPA) conducted a road improvement project on a county road "between Burdick and highway 50N" (now U.S. 56), which Living New Deal believes to be 2800 Rd., grading, graveling, and improving the road. Existing culverts were enlarged to a width of 28 feet.

CWA PROJECT COMPLETE: "White Shale Used To Surface County Road Ferd Williamson, county engineer, says that work on the CWA project west of White City has been completed. The road under construction was surfaced with white shale. This is the first time shale has been used for that purpose in Morris county." Living New Deal presumes the road in question is G Avenue, west of White City.

"Oil-on-canvas murals, painted in 1935-1936, are located on the east and west walls of the lobby. Artists J. Ward Lockwood and Richard Haines received the commissions through a post office mural project awarded by the U.S. Treasury Department's Painting and Sculpture Section. "Pioneers in Kansas," the mural by Lockwood (a Kansas native), is a collage of images associated with role and evolution of the Postal Service during the settlement of the western United States. A stagecoach laden with mail and passengers marks the center of the canvas, with the other images radiating around it. A Pony Express rider and a Native...

Numerous improvements were conducted along Cow Creek in Hutchinson, Kansas in 1933-4 with Civil Works Administration (CWA) funds and labor: Creek straightened for one mile near the Newlin farm Creek cleaned, Adams to 5th st. Creek covered at city tool yard Rock walls built along creek, from Maple to First st.

"The Crawford County Fairground property currently includes the WPA grandstand and four agricultural buildings plus a series of other animal shelters and associated structures, compactly arranged in neat rows at the center of the property. A dirt road enters the fairgrounds from the north and south... This property was part of Raymond Park, donated to the City of Girard by Mary Winston Raymond. Crawford County constructed a completely new fairgrounds using $32,000 in WPA funds. The facility includes a series of wooden buildings and clerestory barns situated close to a race track. A large grandstand lines the west side of the...

"The 418 acre park has a series of gravel roads circulating around reclaimed strip mine pits. Some of the roads terminate in small earthen boat launches into the pit lakes. In 1926 mining company landholders donated the land to the Kansas Forestry, Fish and Game Commission for a 418 acre park. CWA laid out and surfaced roads in 1933-34. CCC leveled strip mine dumps and planted trees in 1934. Now managed by the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Department, the Minded Land Wildlife Area now includes over 13,000 acres in a four county area."

The Crawford State Park in Farlington KS has a nine hundred fifty acre lake built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The park now includes a monument to CCC workers.

"Few vestiges of the camp remain. The site has high potential for archaeological resources. The visible remains of the CCC camp include the base of the water tower and some concrete footings. The water tower base is a rectangular, mortared limestone structure approximately 20 feet tall. An open doorway is centered in the south elevation and a window opening is centered in the north elevation. Concrete footings can be found in the open field N of the water tower, immediately E of the park entrance and south of the park road. 788th Company of the CCC arrived on June 6, 1935....

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the Decatur Co. CCC camp in Decatur County KS in 1936. According to the Kansas Historical Society, "The former camp ground eventually was consumed by residential and commercial development. Today no remnants of Camp Decatur are visible.  Property divided into multiple lots including housing and industry."  

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed this composite truss bridge over the Delaware River in 1936, in conjunction with Jefferson County. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Emporia Gazette: "Cottonwood Falls, June 1,—Two CWA projects in Chase county which were started earlier in theyear have been completed. One the improvement of the disposal plant for this city which was finished this week." The location and present status of the disposal plant are presently unknown to Living New Deal.

The brick and concrete band shell is a concert and public performance stage constructed in 1939 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

The Works Progress Administration built the Ellis County Courthouse in Hays KS. The Moderne courthouse is constructed of yellow brick. The courthouse is still in use. Mann & Co. was the architect of record. 

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed the Ellis Kinney Swimming Pool in Pratt, Kansas. However, the original pool was demolished in September of 2022. It has been replaced by a new pool funded by a private donor.

Ellsworth County Bridge, which carries 8th Road across Smoky Hill River, was constructed as a Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project in 1939.

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) conducted improvement work at the Kansas State Teachers College (now Emporia State University) in Emporia, Kansas. "NORMAL IMPROVEMENT Emporia, Jan. 15. A CWA project involving the expenditure of $3,000, most of which will be for labor has started at the Teachers college. The program provides for finishing rooms in the basement of Union building and redecorating others."

"This new school replaces two obsolete buildings approximately 50 years old. It is part one and part two stories in height and provides eight standard classrooms, two primary classrooms, a principal's office, a teachers' room, a workroom, and the auditorium which has a well-equipped stage and a kitchen. The building is semifireproof. Its exterior walls are red face brick trimmed with stone and the cupola is wood. It was completed in June 1935 at a construction cost of $157,116 and a project cost of $190,640."

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) built. the Eureka Fishing Lake in 1938.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) conducted development work at the former Fairfax Municipal Airport / Fairfax Field in Kansas City, Kansas. The project, sponsored by the Commanding Officer of Fairfax Airport, U.S. Army, cost $29,310. Description: "Construct garages, storage systems and facilities." WPA Project No. 865‐82‐2‐9

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built Fire Station 5 in Topeka KS. Operations have since relocated, though the building still stands. "Station No. 7 shares an identical floor plan and similar architectural features to two other fire stations in Topeka, those being Fire Station No. 5 at the southwest corner of SW 17th Street and SW Topeka Blvd, and Fire Station No. 6 at the southwest corner of NE Seward Ave. and NE Woodruff Ave. in the Oakland neighborhood. All three were WPA projects, and all were designed by the same architectural firm of Cuthbert and Suehrk."

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built Fire Station 7 in Topeka KS.  “This station was constructed in 1935 through Works Progress Administration to service the growing Oakland neighborhood, and the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad yards, located just a few blocks to the west and south." "On October 2, 2020, the National Parks Service considered the nomination of Fire Station No. 6, and officially listed the building on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The Kansas Historic Sites Board of Review (KHBR) officially approved this nomination on August 1, 2020 for inclusion of the Register of Historic Kansas Places."

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built Fire Station 7 in Topeka KS.  "This station was constructed in 1935 through Works Progress Administration to service the newly expanding areas of western Topeka, including the newly developed Westboro neighborhood located one block to the south. The Spanish Revival architectural style of this station, in fact, mirrors one of the designated architectural styles designated by covenant within the Westboro neighborhood. Funding for this station was further enabled through a public bond approved by voters in 1926, specifically intended to provide fire services to these newly annexed areas." “Station No. 7 shares an identical floor plan...

"Fischer Field Stadium is the signature athletic field in Newton, Kansas, and is located in Athletic Park. The stadium is used for athletic events — including high school football and soccer, competitive leagues, and semi-pro football — concerts, Newton High School graduation and a variety of community events and festivals. The stadium is listed on both the Kansas Register and National Register of Historic Places. It can seat up to 5,000 people... In 1935, the City of Newton was granted funds by the Works Progress Administration, a New Deal program for recovery from the Great Depression, to build a football stadium...

"Resting on a concrete slab, the building has cast concrete with walls approximately 9 inches thick. A corrugated metal roof with flat, narrow wood fascia caps the jail. The only openings are located in the west side. These include a steel door and two steel six-light window with metal bars... Located on an alley behind City Hall, this building is currently used for storage by city. The jail was built by the CWA in 1933-34."

This limestone baseball stadium, built by the Works Progress Administration in 1940, is currently owned by the city of Hays but operated by Fort Hays State University. It has been upgraded several times over the years and is now home to the Fort Hays State baseball team.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) conducted development efforts at Fort Leavenworth as part of multiple projects totaling more than $1 million. Projects included: Construct and improve buildings, structures, and facilities. Cost: $150,000. Sponsor: War Department ‐Q.M.C. WPA Project No. 113‐3‐82‐7 Construct and rehabilitate barracks and quarters and utilities. Cost: $355,045. Sponsor: War Department ‐Q.M.C. WPA Project No. 13‐3‐82‐7 Improve buildings and grounds. Cost: $424,649. Sponsor: War Department. WPA Project No. 165‐2‐82‐23 Improve roads and streets. Sponsor: Commanding Officer, Fort Leavenworth, U.S. Army. WPA Project No. 365‐82‐1‐1 Make general improvements to buildings, utilities, walks, and grounds. Cost: $45,230. Sponsor: Commanding...

The Work projects Administration (WPA) conducted improvement work at the military installation at Fort Scott in Kansas. Description: "Improve and rehabilitate buildings, install plumbing, heating, and electrical facilities." WPA Project No. 213-2-158. Cost: $3,000. Sponsor: War Department, Commanding General