Missouri Sites

In 1939, the PWA built this well-maintained 2-story school with a brick façade and concrete elements. It is currently home to the North Nodaway High School.

"The Lake of the Ozarks is an artificial lake with a shore line of approximately 2,500 miles, and its creation necessitated the construction of this highway bridge. Construction is of the hurricane-deck type, the roadway being supported on three main steel arches and two side spans. The two concrete approaches are each 68 feet 6 inches long, the two side spans are each 377 feet long, and the three main spans are each 463 feet long, making a total length for the bridge of 2,280 feet. The roadway is 22 feet wide and there are two 4-foot sidewalks....

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded the construction the Infirmary Building, Missouri State Hospital Number 3 in Nevada, Vernon County. The Infirmary was part of a larger program in the state of Missouri that sought to rehabilitate overcrowded healthcare and penal facilities. Funding for the program came from a state bond that was matched by a PWA grant of eight million dollars. The program employed 34 architectural firms. The building was designed by the Kansas City architecture firm Caroll and Dean. A plaque located at the entrance and bearing the date 1937 reads, “Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works Project Number 5131-1.”...

"On June 9, 1933, the Jackson County Court awarded a $2,073,609 contract to the Swenson Construction Company for construction of the Jackson County Courthouse.  The opulent Art Deco-style 300-foot tall building would reside alongside Kansas City's skyscrapers and provide much-needed space for the court system.  Equally important, its construction along with dozens of other projects completed as a part of Kansas City’s “Ten Year Plan” would provide jobs to hundreds of beleaguered Kansas City residents then suffering from the economic catastrophe of the Great Depression..."   (https://www.kclibrary.org) The courthouse was completed in 1934 with PWA support.  

The central part of the courthouse building dates to 1872. In 1933, the courthouse additions to the east and west of the original structure and extensive interior remodeling were completed in late 1933 as a PWA project. The additions were overseen by the presiding judge Harry S Truman, and the courthouse was subsequently known as "Truman's Courthouse." The present Jackson County Courthouse is a also New Deal project, and is in Kansas City, MO.

This PWA courthouse is decorated by several exterior bas-reliefs and a bronze statue of Andrew Jackson, all created by artist Charles Keck. "Bas-relief friezes are located at about the 6th floor level on the north (front of the courthouse), east and west facades. The central panel of the north facade discloses the figure of Contentment with other figures bearing palms signifying peace. This is attained by coming through Law; the east (left) panel showing the laws of Moses broken and the Quarrels resulting. Wisdom advises that Contentment and Peace be attained by going through Law. The west (right) panel shows Avarice...

Completed in 1938, these concrete-based football stadium bleachers were constructed in a former quarry that furnished rock to many local New Deal projects. The stadium is still called "The Pit."

The original Jamesport school was constructed in 1914. An addition was made to the gymnasium in 1938 with funds provided by the New Deal. The federal funding most likely came from the Public Works Administration (PWA), but school improvement were sometimes made by the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

"From April 1936 through the early 1940s, Depression-era government make-work programs brought improvements to the cemetery. Works Progress Administration (WPA) laborers were responsible for building 23,000’ of hard-surfaced roads and walks, 46,000’ concrete curbs, nearly 16,000’ of "asphalt macadam" roads, and resurfacing of the same. They also removed some of the original stone wall and constructed nearly 4,600’ of "common ashler (sic) stone wall, as well as miscellaneous grading. In 1946 a new stone boundary wall and entrance gate were erected. The WPA renovated the 1872 brick rostrum that measured 23’x 38’ in 1941."

Notes: The Jefferson Junior High Auditorium was Federal Public Works Project N. 3701, erected in 1934. It is a multi-use Auditorium for stage productions and sporting events, particularly basketball. The seating was replaced within the last 10 years, but there have been very few other changes to the physical structure of the building which is currently in active use by the Columbia Public Schools.

The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is a large park along the Mississippi River maintained by the National Park Service. It contains the iconic St. Louis Gateway Arch. The construction of the park lasted for multiple decades. The WPA and the PWA were both involved in demolition and site preparation of the Memorial's 82-acre site from 1935 through the early 1940s. The initial need for development of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial with its iconic arch was the clearing of the buildings in the area of the development, saving as much historical information as possible. Additionally, there was the country’s largest “Hooverville”...

The PWA constructed this school in 1938. It was a well-maintained large school project ($358,000 total for both this and the Garfield School) that is currently in use as Jefferson Elementary School. The school it is located on the north side of St. Louis, just south of Interstate 70 in a tree-lined residential area.

Jennings High School is a single story school constructed in 1941, possibly by the WPA. It is still in use, but has been significantly added onto since its construction.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructed Jensen Point in 1939, overlooking Route 66. The park closed to the public in the 1990s and reopened in 2016.

In 1936, the PWA built Damel Hall, named after John W Damel, who taught at Lincoln University for more than 40 years. Damel Hall was built to house the “Mechanics Arts Department” and currently houses computer sciences and other technology specialties.

This small municipal park was built by the WPA in 1939. It was developed on a reclaimed dump site and contains about .5 acres, is an open space and park for the adjacent school.

The school addition from 1939 has been completely surrounded by subsequent additions and the top of walls and the roof are the only parts that can be seen from the outside, immediately behind the original building with present use as Kearney Middle School.

The armory was named after James Rieger, a lawyer who was enlisted in the National Guard in about 1900 and who served with high distinction in WWI at the Meuse-Argonne offensive which was the decisive battle of WWI and for which Major Rieger was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross.  The entry has an art deco style with chevrons ascending on both columns flanking the entrance and a gold eagle at the top of the entrance.

The clinic building is on the south side of the main downtown district of Kirksville, just east of the Northeast Regional Medical Center. This building was initially used for patient clinics by the osteopathic school, but now houses offices primarily.

This lookout tower was built as a New Deal project, potentially by the CCC, but the agency in charge is not known definitively. The tower is accessible about halfway up to an observation platform and is about 1 mile off of Hwy 67. Views from the platform are excellent in all 4 quadrants. There are no associated outbuildings.

"Knob Noster State Park is named for the nearby town which itself is named for one of two small hills or "knobs" that rise up in an otherwise flat section of Missouri. A local Indian belief stated that the hills were "raised up as monuments to slain warriors." Noster is a Latin adjective meaning our. Therefore Knob Noster translates as our hill. The park was constructed during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration. The CCC and WPA were both part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal a series of government funded programs designed...

This courthouse has a classic revival design with minimal ornamentation, though the light fixtures in the front are art deco.

This PWA project was an addition to the rear of the existing 2-story Laclede school. The building is no longer in use as a school.

The addition to the existing 1849 courthouse was accomplished with an almost seamless continuation of the style of the original.  The dental work below the eaves and over-all style was duplicated.  This was important to the townspeople because of its historic nature.  In the photo of the original courthouse, a cannonball from the Civil War Battle of Lexington remains embedded in the top of the pillar on the left.

This water retention dam and lake was constructed by the WPA in 1937. It was was justified as being for potential needs in a drought, but which primarily served as a place for water recreation for African American families in the Kansas City area. At the time, there was very limited opportunity for outdoor recreation for blacks in Kansas City, essentially being a small section of Swope Park nicknamed "watermelon hill." The surrounding land was privately owned by some of the wealthier black families in the Kansas City area.

Constructed in 1940 by the Army Corps of Engineers, this dam created the 45,000-acre Lake Wappapello reservoir on the St. Francis River. Constructed with the primary intention of flood control, Lake Wappapello continues to offer recreational opportunities including boating, fishing, and camping to the public.

According to a book on Joplin by Leslie Simpson, "In 1933, WPA workers cleared out the slums and created Landreth Park, which boasted a swimming pool, a playground, a tennis court, and flower gardens."  WPA work at the park included the construction of an elegant stone entrance at NW Murphy Blvd.

This free-standing brick façade laundry facility was completed in 1940 by the Public Works Administration to service the St. Louis City Hospital complex including the City Hospital, Malcolm Bliss Psychopathologic Institute, and clinic. It is a red brick building in the Georgian style and is along the same style as the original City Hospital Building. City Hospital closed its doors in 1985. In 2008 the building was repurposed as a private event space, retaining the building's original architectural features.

This stately 2 story addition to the existing high school, dating to 1921, consists predominately of the gymnasium and auditorium. The front brick façade is accentuated by crenelations at the top of the front wall and the style of the concrete surrounding the entrance. A native rock wall is adjacent to the sidewalk in front of the building, potentially a WPA project. (The Daily Journal lists it as a WPA project, but local papers have been incorrect about this information in the past.)

Robert E. Lee Elementary School was built as Federal Public Works Project # 3701 in 1934. The school is a three story building with a multi-purpose auditorium on the first floor with ornate reliefs surrounding the stage. The building was built to last and is currently in use as Lee Expressive Arts Elementary School, a magnet school in the heart of the city of Columbia. In February 2014, the school received a Most Notable Properties designation from the Columbia Historic Preservation Commission.

This building was constructed as the town post office by the Treasury Department in 1939. Purchased and used as the City Hall from the 1960's to 2006, the building is still owned by the City of Lee's Summit but is on a short-term lease to ReDiscover, a mental health organization, for offices. With the passage of a recent bond issue, the City will be turning the structure over to the Lee's Summit Historical Society for use as a museum. -Denise Chisum, City Clerk for the City of Lee's Summit

The old post office building in Lee's Summit is the home of an original Section of Fine Arts mural "Pastoral" painted by Ted Gilien in 1940. The building, which was purchased and used as City Hall from the 1960's to 2006, is still owned by the City of Lee's Summit but is on a short-term lease to ReDiscover, a mental health organization, for offices. With the passage of a recent bond issue, the City will be turning the structure over to the Lee's Summit Historical Society for use as a museum. When the new City Hall was constructed, the mural...

This was the second addition to Levering Hospital.  At the time, it ran in a straight east-west manner with the 1942 addition at the far east end of the building.  The main entrance pictured is part of the original building from 1903.

"The park currently consists of 189 acres, one of the smallest state parks in the system; however, its size is not a reflection of limited recreational opportunities. The resources located within the park make Lewis and Clark State Park a desirable destination for history buffs, nature lovers, and outdoor enthusiasts alike. In addition to its association with the Lewis and Clark expedition, the park's history also includes a connection with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Initial development of the park was made possible through the efforts of the CCC, the WPA, and the Missouri...

The Works Progress Administration restored the Anderson House at the Lexington State Historic Site. According to a storyboard (pictured below) in the museum at this site, "significant repairs and restoration were undertaken by the Works Progress Administration as part of the relief effort associated with the Great Depression."

In 1940, the Public Works Administration (PWA) financed this three-story brick building as a dormitory to house female students at Lincoln University. It is named after Libby Anthony, a “matron” of girls and an instructor in the department of domestic economy.  

Liberty Field is a large baseball field with wooden stands that surround home plate.  It is reputed to have been the first or one of the first baseball fields west of the Mississippi with lights for night time baseball.  It is still in use and in good condition.

Now known as the National WWI Museum and Memorial, what was then the Liberty Memorial was the recipient of efforts on the part of multiple New Deal agencies. National Register of Historic Places nomination form: Numerous small-scale features are located throughout the site. While each feature alone may see insignificant, together they enhance the character of Liberty Memorial and contribute to the significance of the overall site. These features include stone steps, walks, and retaining walls; a brick and concrete swale; iron gates with stone walls; improvements at the Dedication Wall; lights and flagpoles. The stone features throughout the site consist of rubble stone,...

When built by the PWA in 1936, Lincoln was the only high school available for black students in this segregated school system. It was built on a hill overlooking the vibrant 18th and Vine entertainment district that boasted some of the best jazz venues in the country and was close to the stadium of the Kansas City Monarchs. It was expanded in 1965. The building now houses the Lincoln College Preparatory Academy.

Jefferson City, Missouri's Lincoln University received a $10,000 grant from the federal Civil Works Administration (CWA).