• Long Prairie River Diversion - Long Prairie MN
    In 1938, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) decided to diverge the Long Prairie River to address issues that were both economic and community-driven. Long Prairie and Osakis are two small, rural, farming communities in Minnesota less than 30 minutes from one another. One community, Osakis, was supported through its tourist economy, while its sister community’s lifeblood was its farmers. A lake in and around the community of Osakis, Osakis Lake, and it was suffering to the point it was “nearly useless”, according to the newspapers written at the time (cited and pictured on this page). Lake Osakis was in desperate...
  • Post Office - Long Prairie MN
    The post office in Long Prairie was completed in 1938 with funds provided by the Treasury Department. It is also the site of Lucia Wiley's 1939 fresco, "Gathering Wild Rice," completed with funds provided by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts and viewable in the lobby.
  • Post Office Fresco - Long Prairie MN
    Lucia Wiley completed this fresco, entitled "Gathering Wild Rice," in 1939 with funds provided by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. It is viewable in the Long Prairie post office lobby.
  • Riverside Park - Long Prairie MN
    Riverside Park was conceived of, developed, and built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the drought years of the mid-30’s, being completed in 1936. The project called for the development of 2.5 acres of pasture land along the bank of the Long Prairie River, near the intersection of Hwy 71 and Hwy 27 in Long Prairie, MN. Overall, the park encompasses a total of 7 acres. A dam was constructed on the Long Prairie River to divert water into a pond that would be used for swimming in the summer, and ice skating in the winter. The skating rink...
  • Todd County Courthouse Street Entrance - Long Prairie MN
    In 1938, the Works Progress Administration completed the tunnel and stonework entrance into the Todd County Courthouse.
  • Todd County Fairgrounds grandstand - Long Prairie MN
    The Todd County Fairgrounds Grandstand was constructed in 1940. It was the largest Works Progress Administration (WPA) project in the county. The workers began pouring concrete in the spring. The grandstand was a labor-intensive effort. The size of the work crew was doubled in May 1940 to ensure a portion of the grandstand would be done in time for the August fair. The workers spent hours and hours in hard, hand labor. The workers poured cement for six steps at a time, working from dawn to late evening. The interior of the grandstand was designed for use as a dormitory...