Montana Sites

Th PWA granted $320,000 for the construction of a new dormitory at the Montana School of Mines, now known as the Montana Technical campus of the University of Montana. The residence is now known as Prospector Hall. The school's website explains: "Construction of the Residence Hall began in 1935 with an appropriation grant from the Federal Emergency Relief Administration of Public Works. It was open for use during the 1935-1936 academic year. The main structure has four floors each with a student lounge. In addition, there are two wings, each with one floor. It was originally designed to house 110 students."

Montana's Big Timber Pioneer newspaper reported in early 1937 that several National Youth Administration (NYA) recreation projects had recently been completed around Butte:  "winter sports area at Robbers' Roost, four tennis courts which will be ready for use the next spring, 44 regulation horseshoe courts and three playground areas."

Big Timber's Pioneer newspaper reported: "WPA approval received here makes possible this winter of an outstanding log recreation center for the isolated Keystone community. Five unemployed men will clear the building site immediately."

The WPA allocated $15,508 in late 1938 to "reconstruct and improve municipal golf course and tennis courts" in Glasgow, Montana. The precise location of these projects is unknown to Living New Deal.

Montana's Big Timber Pioneer newspaper discussed recent accomplishments of the National Youth Administration in Montana. Among the projects discussed: "Polson also is to have a skating rink which will keep youngsters from the often dangerous ice of Flathead lake. The NYA there also has worked to improve the municipal park and during the summer installed athletic jumping pits, graded running track and repaired the grandstand."

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built a 1,500,000-gallon reservoir north of Laurel, Montana. The project was completed in 1936. "Heading the list of completed WPA projects in Laurel Is the $14,000 municipal water reservoir which will go Into use at the termination of the curing period for the cement this week. The reservoir Is located a mile and a half north of Laurel and combines both scenic and practical value. It is situated on a low hill overlooking the entire Yellowstone valley. The bowl is ellptical in shape, finished in reinforced cement with a quarter-inch steel underframe." A USGS map from the 1950s...

This oil-on-canvas mural "General Sully at Yellowstone" was painted by J. K. Ralston in 1942 in what was then the Sidney Post Office. It was funded by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. The building is now used by the Richland County Extension Office and is known as the the Donald G. Nutter Building. The post office moved to a new building in 1987.

Montana's Big Timber Pioneer newspaper reported in 1937: "The Richland county fairgrounds are being completely remodeled for the coming Richland county fair and according to manager Jack Suckstorff about 40 men are now being employed in this work which is a WPA project. The grandstand is the most noticeable of the changes, it is being enlarged to scat approximately 3,000 people whereas its former capacity was around 1,500. The midway is being enlarged and seeded. It is planned to make this year's fair the greatest in history. The fair opening is on Labor day."

"Along the Yellowstone River, the Civilian Conservation Corps put up the buildings at Laurel's Riverside Park as a place for workers to stay. The site later housed World War II POWs who supplied labor for the surrounding farms. Six of those log cabins were moved away from the park to the east end of Laurel, where they still remain, Easton said."

The WPA allocated $29,514 toward street improvements for Laurel, Montana in August 1938.

The federal government built a large new health research complex in Hamilton, Montana, during the New Deal, with construction completed in 1940.  It would have been done by the Public Buildings Division of the Federal Works Administration for the use of the Public Health Service (now the National Institutes of Health, NIH).  The laboratory had previously been housed in an empty school building. The laboratory works on insect-borne diseases.   "After its successful work with spotted fever, the Rocky Mountain Laboratory expanded its facilities and programs ... to work on other insect-borne diseases, such as yellow fever and the spirochetal relapsing...

The Roosevelt County Courthouse, at 400 2nd Avenue South in Wolf Point, Montana, was constructed between 1939 and 1940 with WPA labor.

The WPA worked to improve roads around the 'Fort Peck Indian reservation' in Roosevelt County, Montana. The agency allocated $47,718 for such projects during July 1938.

According to Big Timber Pioneer newspaper, Sacajawea Park in the town of Livingston, MT was one of 55 public parks 'built or improved' by the WPA in Montana between fall 1935 and Sept. 1938. The construction of Sacajawea Park involved a diversion of the Yellowstone River, creating a lake "that provide habitat for waterfowl. An arched stone bridge built by the WPA separates two of the ponds creating Sacajawea Lake." In addition to other "extensive improvements," WPA labor built a "lighted turf athletic field; and a spacious hard-surface tennis court area." Swimming and boating facilities were also provided.

The WPA worked to improve roads throughout Sanders County, Montana. The agency allocated $73,975 for such projects during July 1938 alone.

The WPA allocated funds for the construction of a new school building in Savage, Montana in 1938. The structure continues to serve as part of an expanded educational campus. The allocation for the structure appears on Montana WPA Roll 24 under project number 665-91-2-1.

A large allocation of WPA funds for school construction and improvement projects for the state of Montana was issued in late 1938. The allocation included funding for school building improvements in Logan, Montana. Logan no longer has a school; the location and current status of the structure in question is unknown to Living New Deal. The allocation for the structure appears on Montana WPA Roll 25 under project number 665-91-2-42.

A large allocation of WPA funds for school construction and improvement projects for the state of Montana was issued in late 1938. The allocation included funding for school building improvements in Rocker, Montana. Rocker no longer has a school. The location and current status of the structure in question is unknown to Living New Deal. The allocation for the structure appears on Montana WPA Roll 25 under project number 665-91-2-65.

A large allocation of WPA funds for school construction and improvement projects for the state of Montana was issued in late 1938. The allocation included funding for school building improvements in Silesia, Montana. Silesia no longer has a school; the location and current status of the structure in question is unknown to Living New Deal.

Big Timber Pioneer reported that an $18,000 grant was made to "school district No. 7 of Yellowstone county for building school additions" in Laurel. The school in question was most likely what was then Laurel High School at 410 Colorado Avenue, which opened in 1908. That building now houses Laurel School District Administration offices.

The WPA allocated $18,722 for the construction of a "school building and recreational facilities" in Plains, Montana. The location and present status of this building are unknown.

The WPA allocated $3,465 for school construction in Bigfork, Montana in August 1938. Another article in the same paper in November most likely refers to the same school: "Work has begun on construction of a home economics cottage to house the department recently added to the curriculum of Bigfork high school. The building will be of logs. It is a WPA project."

The WPA allocated $5,452 for "school construction near Utica " in August 1938. There is no school in the community now, and it is unclear if the structure in question school still stands.

Big Timber Pioneer reported in October 1935 that the WPA allocated $1,500 for "park improvement in school district No. 1, Big Timber" -- that is, school ground improvements at what is now the abandoned site of the former (1905) high school at the northern corner of West 4th Ave. and Hooper St.

A large allocation of WPA funds for school construction and improvement projects for the state of Montana was issued in late 1938. The allocation included funding for school building improvements in Belgrade, Montana. The location and current status of the structure in question is unknown to Living New Deal.

A large allocation of WPA funds for school construction and improvement projects for the state of Montana was issued in late 1938. The allocation included funding for school building improvements in Fairview, Montana. The location and current status of the structure in question is unknown to Living New Deal. The allocation for the structure appears on Montana WPA Roll 25 under project number 665-91-2-45.

The WPA allocated $520 for "school improvements" in Paradise, Montana in August 1938. The exact location of this structure and its present status are unknown to Living New Deal.

A large allocation of WPA funds for school construction and improvement projects for the state of Montana was issued in late 1938. The allocation included funding for school building improvements in Philipsburg, Montana. The location and current status of the structure in question is unknown to Living New Deal. The allocation for the structure appears on Montana WPA Roll 25 under project number 665-91-2-53.

A large allocation of WPA funds for school construction and improvement projects for the state of Montana was issued in late 1938. The allocation included funding for school building improvements in Red Lodge, Montana. It is likely that the building in question makes up part of what is presently known as Roosevelt Junior High School. The allocation for the structure appears on Montana WPA Roll 25 under project number 665-91-2-49.

A large allocation of WPA funds for school construction and improvement projects for the state of Montana was issued in late 1938. The allocation included funding for school building improvements in Three Forks, Montana. The location and current status of the structure in question is unknown to Living New Deal. The allocation for the structure appears on Montana WPA Roll 25 under project number 665-91-2-66.

The WPA allocated $2,390 for Harrison, Montana school building repairs in 1938.

The WPA allocated $2,504 in 1938 for the extension of the municipal sewer system in Circle, Montana.

This WPA project was constructed in 1937 and dedicated in 1938.

The WPA worked to improve roads throughout Sheridan County, Montana. The agency allocated $223,741 for such projects during July 1938 alone.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) provided labor toward repainting and renovations at the Silver Bow County Courthouse in Butte, Montana. In the course of the restoration work, several murals were discovered beneath earlier paint jobs. The WPA was critical to the welfare of unemployed miners in Butte, and this was just one of several projects around the city. The historic plaque in front of the courthouse makes no mention of the WPA work.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) did extensive road improvement around Silver Bow County Montana in 1938 (and probably into 1939). WPA employment was vital to the many jobless miners in Butte area. Montana's Big Timber Pioneer newspaper reported in May 1938:"WPA authorities approved a $428,640 improvement project for Silver Bow county roads, streets and bridges... The project will improve 152 miles of county highways." In September, the same newspaper reported that the WPA had allocated $1,102,751 for such projects during August 1938. An estimated 500 WPA laborers were employed on this project.

Big Timber’s Pioneer newspaper reported that the "riprapping Silver Bow creek near Meaderville" was one of many several dozen projects in the state of Montana whose funding was approved by the WPA during July 1938. Riprapping refers to the formation of breakwaters or other structures using loose stones. It is possible that the project was undertaken to mitigate erosion in the area. A sum of $31,307 was allocated to the project. The precise location of this project, given the description provided in the newspaper, is difficult to discern. Meaderville (whose approximate coordinates are given as the site for this project), a former...

In discussing recreational projects constructed by National Youth Administration labor in early 1937, Montana's Big Timber Pioneer newspaper reported: "At Clyde Park the city officials sponsored a project which made it possible for the town to secure its first and only skating rink."

Post-and-beam construction covered with log-veneer siding characterizes this early building inspired by M. H. Lott and built as a community project by area homesteaders in 1894. It is the only remaining building of the original fairground complex, built when the land was privately owned. Salvaged by the WPA-funded project that rebuilt the fairground in the mid-1930s, its remodeling included the addition of casement windows, a hardwood floor, and the log-veneer siding. The building has always served as a central gathering spot at the fair. In the 1960s, the building was renamed the “Jeffers Building” in honor of Lawrence and Jo...

W.P.A. project information: “Make improvements in and along St. Regis River for flood control purposes” Official Project Number: 165‐2‐91‐91 Total project cost: $24,724.00 Sponsor: District Engineer, Corps of Engineers, War Department