Boston Sites

Adams St. in Boston, Mass. underwent reconstruction as part of a Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project.

Albany Street Bridge Over Boston & Albany Railroad. "The city requested a grant from the Government for bridge alterations as follows: Altering and strengthening Boylston Street Bridge; rebuilding Berkeley Street Bridge and rebuilding Albany Street Bridge. The total cost of this work is approximately $265,000 ..." P.W.A. Docket No. Mass. 1584-F.

Alford St. in Boston, Mass. underwent reconstruction as part of a Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project.

Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) constructed a field house at American Legion Field in Boston, Mass. WPA Bulletin: WPA workmen have erected a modern field house, essential for the health and convenience of those who use the recreational facilities at the American Legion Field, East Boston.

A Boston Public Works Department report cited Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) labor as conducting the following work: "Meridian Street Bridge ... was chipped, cleaned and painted. ... Repaving and repairs were made to the approaches of the Meridian Street Bridge ..."

The following water main was laid as part of a Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project: "Arborway, from Pond and Prince streets, to Forest Hills street ..."

The bridge carrying the Jamaicaway over Huntington Avenue, near Brookline, was constructed with NIRA funds. The structure was renamed in 2017 for the sons of Boston Marathon bombing hero Carlos Arredondo.

Ashmont St. in Boston, Mass. underwent reconstruction as part of a Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project.

W.P.A. project description: 1938 Massachusetts Metropolitan District Commission annual report: "Blue Hills Division, in Boston; this project provided for extensive beautification work of road construction, sidewalk construction, grading of roadside slopes, drainage, etc. in Stony Brook Reservation, Bellevue Hill Section, ..."

Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) conducted the following work in East Boston, Massachusetts. WPA Bulletin: Bennington Street, East Boston, main artery between Sumner Tunnel and Revere and Winthrop has been resurfaced with asphalt by WPA. Street car reservations have been eliminated and there now is a clear road surface of 60 feet between curbs.

Berkeley Street Bridge Over Boston & Albany Railroad. "The city requested a grant from the Government for bridge alterations as follows: Altering and strengthening Boylston Street Bridge; rebuilding Berkeley Street Bridge and rebuilding Albany Street Bridge. The total cost of this work is approximately $265,000 ..." P.W.A. Docket No. Mass. 1584-F.

A Boston Public Works Department report cited Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) labor as conducting the following work: "Major repairs were made to Blakemore Street Bridge, in order to increase the load capacity from 8 to 15 tons."

Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) conducted drastic improvement work at the South Boston Army Base in Boston, Massachusetts. WPA Bulletin: At the Army Base, South Boston, WPA employed more than 1000 men repairing and altering buildings, warehouses, wharves, roads, grounds and water and electric systems. The site of the old army base is now part of Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park. Per the DoD Heritage Assessment cited below: W.P.A. project information: "Boston Army Base" "Improve U.S. Maritime Commission buildings" Official Project Number: 165‐2‐14‐155 Total project cost: $163,750.00 Sponsor: War Department "Improve and rehabilitate buildings and utilities" Official Project Number: 165‐2‐14‐177 Total project cost: $96,755.00 Sponsor: Commanding Officer, Boston Army Base, U.S....

The W.P.A. conducted substantial improvement and development work at the then-Boston Navy Yard, which was located southeast of Chelsea Street in Charlestown. The details—including description, Official Project Numbers, total costs, and sponsors—of more than two dozen W.P.A. projects undertaken at the Navy Yard can be found in the DoD Heritage Assessment cited below. Projects included buildings, the grounds, roads, and utilities at the installation.

Boylston Street Bridge Over Boston & Albany Railroad. "The city requested a grant from the Government for bridge alterations as follows: Altering and strengthening Boylston Street Bridge; rebuilding Berkeley Street Bridge and rebuilding Albany Street Bridge. The total cost of this work is approximately $265,000 ..." P.W.A. Docket No. Mass. 1584-F.

A Boston Public Works Department report cited Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) labor as conducting the following work: "Broadway Bridge was chipped, cleaned and painted." Spanning Fort Point Channel, the bridge has since been demolished as the area has been redeveloped with highways built.

The following water main was laid as part of a Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project: "Brookline avenue, from Brookline-Boston boundary line to Kenmore square, approximately 4,600 linear feet 48-inch pipe."

The W.P.A. conducted restoration and preservation work at the Bunker Hill Monument. "Such colossal monuments such as the stone shaft at Bunker Hill, Grant's Tomb, and the Statue of Liberty have been repaired, have had their grounds beautified, or have been otherwise improved."

Huntington Avenue intersects but also passes under Massachusetts Avenue in Boston at Symphony Hall; the Charles H. Innes Memorial Underpass has a bronze plaques identifying it as a WPA project.

Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) workers constructed a bathing beach and recreation site along the Charles River by the end of Longfellow Bridge, in 1936. The project included a baseball diamond, benches, and shelters. WPA Bulletin: Children from Boston's hot and overcrowded West and North Ends, from Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Downtown, and East Cambridge, are smiling at the heat. For now, within short hiking distance, at the Boston end of the West Boston Bridge, WPA has built a bathing beach and recreation site. Charlesbank Beach, official title of the WPA Project, has proved to be one of the most popular swimming places in...

A Boston Public Works Department report cited Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) labor as conducting the following work: "Warren and Charlestown Bridges, repairs to fender piers. Retaining wall at Charlestown Bridge repaired."

A Boston Public Works Department report cited Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) labor as conducting the following work: "he Chelsea Viaduct was repaved and a guard rail constructed."

A Boston Public Works Department report cited Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) labor as conducting the following work: "Extensive alterations were made to the office of the Bridge and Ferry Division, 602 City Hall Annex."

Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) labor constructed a park at what was then known as the Boston City Hospital. WPA Bulletin: This new park in the rear of the Administration Building, Boston City Hospital, was laid out and planned by WPA engineers. Convalescent patients will benefit from these beautiful surroundings.

In 1934, the Public Works Administration (PWA) loaned the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company $7 million for equipment repair, new track installation, and new equipment purchases.  Among the new purchases was the $250,000 Comet, a streamlined Diesel-electric train. The Comet was built in 1935 by the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation of Akron, Ohio. “The Aluminum Co. of America furnished the aluminum alloy sheets and castings. The Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co. made the Diesel engines and electrical equipment” (The Indianapolis Times, 9-7-1935). It began service that same year, running a regular route between Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island. The blue,...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) conducted substantial improvement work at the historic Commonwealth Armory. The facility was demolished in 2002. The details—including description, Official Project Numbers, total costs, and sponsors—of more than a dozen W.P.A. projects undertaken at the armory can be found in the DoD Heritage Assessment cited below.

A Boston Public Works Department report cited Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) labor as conducting repair work on the "Eastern Avenue bridge," a.k.a. Congress Street bridge.

As part of a Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project a combination sewer was built along Cottage St. from Porter St. to Maverick St. P.W.A. Docket No. Mass. 4193-N

Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) labor conducted improvements at the since-demolished Cushman School in Boston, Massachusetts. The facility was located at 44 Prince St. WPA Bulletin: To insure the safety of pupils in the Cushman School, North End, WPA has rebuilt the fire escapes, setting in new gratings, new hook bolts and hand rails. Seven ironworkers and three laborers were employed on this job.

W.P.A. project description: "Dedham Parkway and Turtle Pond Parkway; a project in operation at the end of the year will provide a parking area on each of these two parkways in the Hyde Park district."

A Boston Public Works Department report cited Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) labor as conducting the following work: "Repairs to fender piers of Dorchester Avenue Bridge." The bridge spanned Fort Point Channel.

A Boston Public Works Department report cited Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) labor as conducting the following work: "Work of splicing piles, replacing decayed pipe caps, stringers, planking, etc., was done at Dover Street Bridge, on both fender piers. Both piers have been practically rebuilt" (1934). "Dover Street Bridge chipped and painted; steel and rollers of turntable cleaned and red leaded and draw fender piers repaired" (1935). Dover Street is the former name for East Berkeley Street and West 4th St. The bridge crossed what had been Fort Point Channel. The landscape in this part of Boston has undergone highly significant...

The historic East Boston Station post office was constructed with federal Treasury Department funds in 1939. The post office contains New Deal murals.

"Communication" Medium: oil on canvas Size: 4 panels, 3' x 9' each

Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) workers constructed Edgemere Road in West Roxbury, Boston, Mass. WPA Bulletin: One of the most difficult tasks en- countered by WPA in the construction of many miles of Boston streets was the building of Edgemore road, West Roxbury, through a long stretch of solid rock. Dynamite, rock drills and much man power was used in this work.

A Boston Public Works Department report cited Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) labor as conducting the following work: "The Election Department building, at the corner of Broadway and Dorchester avenue, was repaired." The building is no longer extant.

Created for the former Everett branch post office, the mural "Mail for New England" is an example of New Deal artwork. Painted by Stephen Etnier, and completed in 1940, the work has since been relocated to Boston's Back Bay post office. Jimmy Emerson: "When the Everett post office building was sold in the 1970s, the mural was removed, rolled up and stored where it suffered water damage. It was discovered in 2005 and restored. It was installed in the Back Bay post office in Boston in 2009."

"Sites of WPA projects to preserve historic shrines include ... Faneuil Hall, Massachusetts."

Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) laborers repaired Boston's old Fort Hill Fire Station during the mid-1930s. The building was torn down in 1952 to make way for construction of the since-buried downtown freeway.

"The following work was done by the W. P. A.: At Fort Hill Wharf Disposal Station a sprinkler system was installed; fence, floor and ramp, and roof were built." The exact location of the facility is unknown to Living New Deal.