Bangor Sites

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) built the Artic Brook Sewer in Bangor ME. The 1934 town report notes: "The Arctic Brook sewer was enclosed from Broadway to Kenduskeag Stream, or a distance of 2600 feet, by a 36 inch sewer, at a cost of $51,530." According to earlier articles, during December, 169 men plus a foreman and blacksmith were employed on the project. A typical pay week would bring $2,153 to the men. "ARTIC SEWER JOB BROUGHT CITY $50,000 More than $37,600 Spent For Labor on First CWA Project" "Approximately $50,000 was spent on the Artic Brook sewer, the oldest CWA project, in point of...

The Bangor dam "was built on the site of Treat Falls in 1875. It about 1,006 feet long with 800 feet of timber crib spillway and 200 feet of concrete spillway on the easterly end. The timber spillway being 2 feet lower than the concrete spillway was fitted with flashboards. The first fish way was built around 1923 between the timber and concrete spillways. The second fish way was constructed in 1936 with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) office funds."   (www.maineatlanticsalmonmuseum.org) The dam and the associated water works fell out of use in the 1960s and have since largely deteriorated....

 Created in 1927 as a commercial airport named Godfrey Field. In 1940 the Maine State Defense Commission considered 6 airports priority for use as military bases, Bangor being a key one. A 1940 Maine State Legislature report records that construction of the base was done by the W.P.A. and improved by FERA with  a 1400 x 100 gravel runway and a 1500 x 100 Gravel runway. "he airfield was taken over by the U.S. Army just before World War II and renamed Godfrey Army Airfield and later Dow Army Airfield. It became Dow Air Force Base in 1947, when the new U.S....

One of the 26 bridges that were destroyed or damaged by the 1936 flood. A Maine Highway report notes that the reconstruction of these bridges was a U.S. Works Program Flood Relief project and were handled under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Public Roads, U.S. Department of Agriculture. All bridges were placed under construction in 1936. Labor was provided on some by the Works Progress Administration. Before the flood, the Bullseye bridge was a wooden covered bridge that was noted for its circular windows which is where it got its name. The 1936 town report notes in the forward that...

"Built in 1934 on low swampy land across the street from the Bangor Water Works, which supplied city water from the Penobscot River, the park was designed by city manager James G. Wallace and funded by the Works Progress Administration . It was known for its unusual system of water features, including a twenty-foot-tall grotto with a waterfall carved into the hillside and stabilized with a battered stone wall. At the bottom of the cascade, water from a small concrete pool flowed into a narrow concrete “brook,” and then into a larger oval pool. Daytime visitors flocked to see the...

"The City Section of Mt. Hope is located on the north side of Mt. Hope Avenue and also includes a portion of land south of Mt. Hope within the Mt. Hope Cemetery fence. This 30-acre site began to take form in 1834, the same year that Bangor was incorporated. Development continued during the Roosevelt Administration under the Works Progress Administration. Today, this section of Mt. Hope Cemetery consists of approximately 4000 lots and is maintained by maintenance crews that work for the Mt. Hope Cemetery Corporation."

Original name was the Fifth Street Junior High School "The two new junior high schools in Bangor were built and equipped at the cost of $740,000. Every cent of this was paid by the W.P.A. (Works Projects Administration) City Manager Wallace designed the two school grounds. The new Fifth Street Junior High School is surrounded by walks, a cyclone fence, shrubs, vines, and trees. Approximately 2,000 feet of concrete walks were constructed in front of the both new Junior High Schools in Bangor. There is a tarred driveway encircling the building with a parking area at each end. Over 1 1/3 miles...

The Penobscot Bridge was a steel Baltimore through truss bridge connecting Bangor and Brewer. Construction was completed in 1911 and the bridge was replaced with the current Joshua Chamberlain bridge in 1954. According to the Bangor Daily News, this was the first Public Works Administration (PWA) project in the city. The project involved changing the approach by widening the Washington Street side and rounding off the sharp corners of the bridge which Bangor and Brewer officials considered dangerous. Work was preceded by the Maine Central RR changing its tracks and the telephone company changing some of its cables. Work began in...

Federal Emergency Relief Administration crews built parking for Summit Park in Bangor ME. Excerpt from Bangor Daily News: "ERA Workers Building Parking Space Near Old Water Standpipe" "One of the new ERA projects now under way in Bangor is a large parking place being constructed at Summit Park. Those who have driven to the standpipe during summer nights for a view of the city, have found it impossible to get a good parking place, and it is believed that the new graveled area will be one of great convenience to those who wish to view the surrounding country from the top of Thomas Hill. At...

"Two new junior high schools in Bangor were built and equipped at the cost of $740,000. Every cent of this was paid by the W.P.A. (Works Projects Administration) City Manager Wallace designed the two school grounds." Original name was the Garland Street Jr. High School. Name changed in 1997 to the William S. Cohen School, named after former Secretary of Defense William Cohen who was born and grew up in Bangor . It is located at 304 Garland Street in Bangor Maine. "The Cohen school and its sister school, the James F. Doughty School were both built with funds from the Works...

A small park in Bangor with playground equipment, a basketball court and non functioning tennis court with plans to convert it into a Pickleball court. When constructed by the WPA as part of their comprehensive city-wide work program it originally contained a tennis court, concrete wading pool, playground area, baseball diamond and football field. According to various people who grew up in Bangor, the playground was a very important part of their lives and memories. "We always called it Newberry St. Park. Had a lot of fun there." "My Dad's family, the Burke's lived on Gridley St. and he (Bobby Burke)...