Mississippi Sites

One of more than 40 new vocational units added to Mississippi schools following an increase in federal funds in 1937, the white wood frame Vocational Agriculture and Home Economics building was constructed by the National Youth Administration.

"The Ecru High School FFA/FHA Building was built in 1938 by the National Youth Administration (NYA), a New Deal agency. The NYA was created by executive order in 1935 to provide vocational training to young people while also furnishing a stipend allowing participants to remain in school. One NYA project involved building and renovating school buildings. There were a number of NYA built school buildings in Mississippi, primarily used for vocational education. However, that number is declining. The Ecru building, clad in 'native stone,' retains its exterior features, including pent awnings over the doors and 9/9 double hung sash windows....

This rock building was constructed by federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) and remains in use as part of the Ethel school complex.

The National Youth Administration constructed a vocational building for the Heidelberg vicinity school complex in 1941.

The Lauderdale Consolidated School Vocational Building was constructed in 1937 by the National Youth Administration. The rock veneer building is a Mississippi Landmark and still extant, although not in use.

The National Youth Administration built the Beulah-Hubbard Consolidated School's vocational/home economics building in 1938. Although some buildings and ruins remain of the complex, it is unknown if the vocational building is one of them.

A vocational building was constructed at the Magee School Complex in Magee, Mississippi during the Great Depression using standard plans. The building was undertaken with the assistance of labor provided by Civil Works Administration (CWA), a job creation program established under the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA). The CWA was designed to provide temporary employment for manual laborers and was replaced with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) after 1934.

PWA project W1101 erected a two-story brick veneer vocational building and home economics building in 1935. Architect R. J. Moor designed the building and it was built by A. M. Allen of Moorhead at a cost of $8,230. A grant of $4,450 and loan of $5,500 were awarded Sep. 25, 1935. School bonds were issued following an election November 1935. Construction began Feb. 5, 1936 and was completed Oct. 15, 1936.

The one-story building was Proj. Miss. 1305. It is still standing at the coordinates below.

The National Youth Administration constructed the 1938 1-story vocational building at the Union High School. Superintendent of construction was Simon Brown. The building remains in use by the school system.

Home Consolidate School constructed a vocational building in 1938 as Work Project 5209 Application #924, National Youth Administration. The project employed 25 boys, and the concrete blocks were made at the project.

The National Youth Administration built the vocational building for the Pearl River County Training School in 1941. The building was one part of a complex of buildings constructed for African American students between 1900 and 1951.

The Vardaman High School vocational building was completed in 1941 by the National Youth Administration of Mississippi. It remains part of the Vardaman School Complex. An addition was added to the building at some point.

The vocational teacher's home was constructed by the National Youth Administration (NYA) with supervision from NYA supervisor Carl R. Furr in 1937. The project began in September and was completed in November 1937. None of the young men on the project had experience in carpentry prior to the work.

Built in 1934 by the Public Works Administration, the Spring Hill high school building was constructed with $8,000 of PWA funding. It was destroyed by fire in 1940.

The Art Moderne building was Public Works Administration (PWA) Project Miss. 1279. Along with principal architect E. L. Malvaney, there were 8 architects, the builder/contractor, foundation contractor, and a sculptor who worked on the building.

The Public Works Administration (PWA) of the Federal Works Agency funded the construction of the stately Warren County Courthouse in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

"Improvements to streets, sidewalks, bridges, drainage and sewerage systems" including the "...Water and Sewer works adjacent to the dam" on Deer Creek (Embree, 2004, p. 54). The remains of the building are present, though it is not in use.

As part of a major Works Progress Administration grant to the city of Biloxi in 1935-1936, a 500,000 gallon reservoir for storing water for drinking and fire fighting was completed at a cost of $20,127.31 for the City Water Works Department, along with repairs to the existing reservoirs. The sponsor contributed $5,025.71. The project entailed excavation, grading, backfilling, terracing and sodding, the making of concrete forms, pouring concrete and setting steel reinforcement, and installing water mains. Workers included 32 laborers, 14 skilled workers, 7 intermediate, plus a timekeeper and superintendent for the job. The new reservoir was located at the...

Public Works Administration project 5487 was approved 4/4/1934 for water works project in Magnolia. The city received a loan of $10,500 and grant for $3,874 to improve the water works system constructed in 1905. Construction began 7/9/1934 and was completed12/22/1934 for a total of $14,381.

Meridian voters approved a $200,000 bond issue for improving the water works in 1939. It was projected to begin July that year and provide employment for 300 men for a year. Improvements were proposed to include “new five-million-gallon reservoir on the hills south of Meridian, Gravity flow through a new 24-inch main to the downtown section. Several new 16-inch mains to major outlying districts of the city. At least one addition to the pumping station to increase capacity. Adequate pressure to decrease fire hazards” (1939, p. 9). Although they had expected to receive a federal grant of $100,000 toward the cost,...

A water system was approved for Blue Mountain 07/21/1936 as PWA project W1005. A loan of $20,000 and grant of $16,363 was approved and bids advertised in September 1936. Contract was awarded 11/03/1936 to the Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel Company and A. H. Beard of St. Louis was the engineer in charge. Using natural springs east of Blue Mountain to supply the water, it marked the first time in the community that standard fireplugs were installed. Construction began November 20th and was completed March 20, 1937 for a total of $36,743.

Public Works Administration project 4251 was approved 12/28/1933 for a water works system in Sardis. A loan $14,257 and grant of $5,342 was announced in December 1933. Construction began 6/12/1934 and was completed 8/28/1934 for a total of $19,599.

From 1937-1939, Greenville undertook improvements for the water works and sewage disposal, including building one new pumping station. Bids for pumping stating equipment were opened June 1937, and work began in late June to remodel the existing waterworks building constructed c. 1896. Water mains, storm drains and sanitary sewers were added, along with a new pumping station constructed 1938. Approximately $140,000 was approved for the improvements scheduled for 1937. The water plant was located at 806 West Union Street, and other locations are unknown. The project provided employment for 128 men, and took 12 months. A later WPA project 40,026...

Mississippi Project 1102 "undertook a considerable program of improving its waterfront facilities and harbor for small craft, including slips and pier with recreational features, a clubhouse, swimming pool, and tennis courts" (Short & Stanley-Brown, 1939, p. 424). Miss Proj. 1419 provided improvements for "ocean-going vessels consist of a wharf 45 by 1, 790 feet with three lines of railroad tracks, and the warehouse 122 by 1,760 composed of eight compartments" (p. 425).

A number of buildings were constructed at the Vicksburg Waterways Experiment Station following its initial construction in 1930. Buildings constructed under the expansion of the US Army Corps of Engineers from 1933-1941 included Soils Laboratory Bldg. 1077 (1934), Tools and Equipment House Bldg. 7071 (1934), Booster Pump Station Bldg. 3065 (1935), Hydraulics Office Bldg. 3067 (1935), Warehouse Stockroom Bldg., 2059 (1935), EPD offices-Soils Division Bldg. 2099 (1937), Equipment Storage Building # 1 2053 (1939 and # 2 Bldg. 2055 (1939), and Paint Shop/Storage Bldg. 2021 (1941). "The work of the Waterways Experiment Station at Vicksburg, Mississippi, where Army engineers build model...

PWA W1061 supported the construction of an artesian well, water main, and waterworks distribution system. A loan of $4,000 and a grant of $3,501 was approved 9/25/1935. Contracts were awarded 11/18/1935. Construction began 1/20/1936 and was completed 4/4/1936. Even though there was a rush for overtime in September to complete applications by the deadline, Mississippi halted work for an hour "out of respect to Mrs. Harold L. Ickes, wife of the national administrator, killed in an automobile accident in Texas Saturday night" (Workers pause, 1935, p. 10).

Public Works Administration project 1054 provided a $21,000 loan and $16,587 grant for the waterworks system in Maben. It was approved 11/17/1936, construction started 4/19/1937, and completed 8/27/1937 for a total cost of $36,983.

PWA project W1164 for $34,545 was approved for Duck Hill January 17, 1936. A $19,000 loan was approved, with a grant of $15,545. Bids were advertised May 1936 for an "8 inch by 200 foot deep well and pump, 50,000 gallon elevated water storage tank, chlorinator, booster pump, water distribution system, septic tank and manholes and sewerage collection system" (Winona Times, May 29, 1936, p. 6). Construction began August 10, 1936 and was completed August 5, 1937.

Public Works Administration grant x1372 was approved 9/13/1938 for a loan of $2700 and grant of $2700. The construction started 12/30/1938 and was completed 8/15/1939 for a total cost of $5588.

Public Works Administration (PWA) project 7312 for Ripley’s waterworks system was approved June 20, 1934 for a loan of $51,500 and a grant of $17,135. Construction was started 11/15/1935 and completed 11/5/1937. Ripley proposed to issue revenue bonds in order to obtain the loan/grant to purchase a private system, with the town operating it as a municipal plant. However, it was challenged in a lawsuit, by a local taxpayer and only after reaching the Mississippi State Supreme Court was the validity of the town issuance of the bonds affirmed. The court case was resolved June 10, 1935, enabling the process...

The historic Liberty Grove school was constructed 1934 by architect James Manly Spain in a one-story Colonial Revival style. CWA funds provided $22,000 toward the $32,000 school building. The award for the construction contract was to be submitted by the CWA board. In 1939, the Liberty Grove school was part of PWA project W1183 to fund construction and improvements for five Hinds County schools. Liberty Grove school received funding to construct a gymnasium and four additional classrooms. A bond issue for $21,000 was set for October 18, 1938 and approved. PWA funds for all five schools was $151,986 loan toward...

The 1936 Wayne County Courthouse was completed with a Public Works Administration grant (W1041) of $45,000 towards the $100,000 building. E. L. Malvaney designed the 51 x 110 foot Art Deco style building constructed of gray brick with stone trim and steel sash. I. C. Garbor and Son were the construction company. The top floor of the 4-story building contained a "modern, escape-proof jail" ("New Wayne County Courthouse Awaits Dedication") and the interior was trimmed with red gum. Heating and plumbing was done by S. S. Richard Heating and Plumbing, and electric by Short Electric Company. The courtrooms contained 300...

The West End Fire Station, West End Fire Company #3, was built in 1937 with Works Progress Administration (WPA) funding. The building is currently used as a fire station museum.

One of two schools constructed with 45% funding from Public Works Administration, the West Ward school had 16 rooms and a capacity in each for 40-45 students. A library/conference room was upstairs. The two buildings constructed at the same time by the same architects and builders cost a total of about $205,500. The building was demolished in 1994.

Preliminary plans for White Acres for white tenants was planned for South McComb in January 1940. The proposed unit was project Miss. 3-2, comprising 15 residential buildings and one administration/service building, and housing 84 families. Construction was by J. K. Fraser with a cost of $203,400. Architects were Landry and Matthes. The project involved razing existing structures, and grading, landscaping, plumbing and electrical work for the new structures. The two-story brick units are still in use.

The main classroom building of the Whitfield Line Vocational High School was constructed in 1936 by the WPA. It was demolished in 2005.

The school at Williamsburg was destroyed by fire and a new building was erected. Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects approved in the amount of $13,604 in July 1935 included construction of a gymnasium and improvements to the teacher’s house. Fifty-eight men were employed on the project, which included grading and graveling the road to the school. The school building is still extant and has been in use as a furniture company since 1959 after the school closed. The status of the teacher's house and gymnasium are unknown.

The old Winston County Library was the first public libary in Winston County, Mississippi. The Colonial Revival, 1-story building is currently in use as a Girl Scout Hut. "The building is eligible as an intact example of community facilities constructed under the auspices of federal public works programs of the 1930s" (Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic Resources Inventory database). MDAH indicates the library was built using WPA funds, with Winston County, the City of Louisville, and individuals contributing to the cost of the building.

Public Works Administration 1307 provided a loan of $400,000 and grant of $161,149 to complete gravel roads throughout the county. Bids were advertised in September 1934 for construction of grading, drainage structures and bridges and gravel surfacing on 5.533 miles of the Winterville-Priscilla Highway. George Vinzant was chief engineer of the Washington County Highway Commission. B. G. Coggins of Nettleton, MS was awarded the contract for construction. The project was approved 2/21/1934 and construction began 10/17/1934. All roads were completed by 8/31/1937.