New York Sites

The Federal Writers' Project wrote of the New York Botanical Garden: "The botanical garden, incorporated by the State Legislature in 1891, after a two-year campaign for funds, is maintained by city appropriations, membership fees, and funds from the sale of publications. In recent years considerable improvements have been effected by PWA and WPA grants." WPA work at the gardens included the construction of "ome 14,000 linear feet of 10- foot paths" and "the transplanting of 54 large conifers, 41 large deciduous shrubs and 93 medium- sized plants of Ilex opaca." (https://mertzdigital.nybg.org)

Improvements at the former New York City Reformatory in New Hampton, New York were undertaken as a Public Works Administration (PWA) project.

"In 1936, under the Works Progress Administration, the artist Abram Champanier created a series of murals for the children's ward . Champanier had done large commercial murals in the 20's for the Roxy Theater in New York and the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, among other works. For the hospital, he painted 16 panels on the theme of "Alice in Wonderland in New York." The oil-on-canvas murals are all seven feet high, but of varying widths. After the first panel, "Alice Steps Out of a Book," they cover subjects like "Alice Flies Over the East River Bridges" and "Alice and Her...

The McGraw Rotunda of the 5th Ave. library building contains a set of WPA murals: "It features The Story of the Recorded Word, a set of four large arched panels by Edward Laning, were executed for the McGraw Rotunda of the New York Public Library Main Branch from 1938 to 1942 as part of a Works Progress Admistration (WPA) Project, with supplies furnished by Isaac Phelps Stokes, author of the Iconography of Manhattan Island. Laning depicted the story of the recorded word across each of the murals. The first mural, to the left of the entrance to the Catalog Room, Moses...

Syracuse's 275-acre New York State Fairgrounds site was built during the Great Depression. Its construction was enabled by funds provided by the federal Public Works Administration (PWA). The PWA supplied a $264,907 grant for the project, whose final cost was $589,408. Construction primarily occurred during 1937. PWA Docket No. NY 539.

This building, formerly known as the New York County Courthouse, contains several large New Deal murals created by a variety of artists, begun under the Public Works of Art Program (PWAP) in 1934 and continued under the WPA's Federal Art Project. Most of the murals were painted by Attilio Pusterla with the help of several assistants. The vestibule ceiling contains brightly painted murals by Pusterla and his assistants painted in a "grand Italian decorative style" (nytimes). The subject of these murals is the administration of justice, and the murals depict many allegorical figures representing Truth, Error, Protection, Security, Army and Navy among...

This building, formerly known as the New York County Courthouse, contains several large WPA murals. Most of the murals, including those in the vestibule and rotunda, were painted by Attilio Pusterla with the help of several assistants. Jury room 448, however, contains a series of 11 paintings by Robert K. Ryland depicting historical New York scenes. The subjects include Henry Hudson's ship, the Half-Moon; an early Indian settlement; Broad Street around 1660, and two panoramas of the city in the 18th century.

The Fulton Street branch of New York City's Independent Subway (IND) was constructed during the 1930s with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. On April 9, 1936, nine stations opened in Brooklyn, including the Court Street subway station. The Court St. subway station closed in 1946; it reopened in 1976 as the New York Transit Museum.

In the 1930s, the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) applied blacktop covering to a road at Newark State School. The school was part of the Department of Mental Hygiene. Today most of the school's buildings have been abandoned. The Living New Deal does not know the present status of the road.    

NYC Parks describes the origins of this playground in Queens: "This public space was acquired by the City of New York by consolidation on January 1, 1898, and transferred to the Department of Parks in 1917. It was not developed as a playground until 1934-35. The playground opened on August 9, 1935 with slides, swings, sandbox, seesaws, benches, comfort station, tool house, and cherry and hawthorn trees." On April 3, 1937, the Department of Parks announced the further completion at this site of "a new recreation building of brick construction," containing "a boys and girls' comfort station, a mother's room and...

From NYC Parks: "In 1918, the War Memorial Fund was established to create a $1 million Memorial Arch to commemorate those killed in World War I. The organizers were forced to adjust their plans when they were only able to raise $210,000, and by 1922 the project was scrapped and the money was turned over to the City. The fund earned interest, growing to nearly $340,000 by 1934. Parks Commissioner Robert Moses (1888–1981), wishing to construct playspaces for children, convinced the remaining members of the War Memorial Committee to allow the funds to be used for playgrounds. Parks received the War Memorial...

This Caroga Lake golf course was opened in 1929. In the 1930s, WPA workers cleared underbrush, built bridges and benches, and installed tennis courts at the course.

Elmira, New York's former Nick Street, which no longer exists, was repaved by the federal Civil Works Administration (CWA) in 1934. "Another project approved is the repaving of Nicks Street, which connects State Street and Exchange Place in the rear of stores on East Water Street. The stones will be removed and relaid on a new foundation." State Street, replaced by Route 14, no longer exists in this location; Exchange Place and Nicks Street have both been removed as well. However, old municipal maps, such as the one shown on this page, present the area in question with all relevant streets intact.

A Department of Parks press release from December 4, 1939 describes the completion of WPA work on Noble Playground, along with three other playgrounds: "At East 177th Street and Noble Avenue the 3.6 acre area contains a children's playground and a separate regulation baseball diamond with concrete bleachers accommodating 150 spectators. The children's area is divided into two parts separated by a high, natural rock outcrop. One part contains a children's playground with combination wading pool and volley ball court, kindergarten apparatus, a large shaded sandpit, slides, swings, jungle gym and a brick comfort station. The other part is paved and...

What is now the northbound span of the North Grand Island Bridge (as well as the southbound span of the South Grand Island Bridge) was constructed as a New Deal project in 1933-5, funded by a Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) loan. "The Swartz bill, drafted by Commissioner Robert Moses, state representative of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, passed the Legislature in 1933. This measure paved the way for the $2,880,000 loan from the R. F. C. Robert Moses became an enthusiastic supporter of the bridge. Former Governor Alfred E. Smith gave his active support to the project, as did Speaker Joseph A. McGinnus....

North Rose-Wolcott Middle School, located at 5957 New Hartford St. in Wolcott, New York, was constructed with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA provided a $325,000 loan and $132,381 grant for the project, whose total cost was $478,816. Construction occurred between Aug. 1934 and Sept. 1935. PWA Docket No. NY 2254

In the mid-1930s, the Public Works Administration (PWA) funded a $6,000,000 grade crossing elimination program for what was then Staten Island Rapid Transit Railway (SIRT). The final project was the mile-long Port Richmond-Tower Hill viaduct, which, at the time, was "the largest grade crossing elimination unit in the United States" (New York Times). The project sought to put an end to accident prone crossings. Arthur S. Tuttle, the State Director of the PWA, opened the newly elevated stations at Port Richmond and Tower Hill in a ribbon cutting ceremony. On February 26, 1937, The New York Times announced the opening of the viaduct...

The Department of Health medical center at 130 Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn was constructed with Works Progress Administration (WPA) labor. This was one of three infant health stations in Brooklyn dedicated by Mayor La Guardia on May 10, 1939. The buildings cost about $50,000 each, with the WPA paying 60% and the city paying 40% of the costs.

This WPA relief map of the NYC Water Supply System is now on display in the Queens Museum of Art. The information plaque displayed with the map reads: "For the 1939 World's Fair, city agencies were invited to produce exhibits for the New York City Pavilion (now the Queens Museum of Art). The Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity (a New York City Department of Environmental Protection predecessor agency) commissioned the Cartographic Survey Force of the Works Progress Administration to create the magnificent relief map of the New York City water supply system and watershed that you see in this...

The WPA approved $58,000 in funds for the construction of a water system for Oak Island Beach.

Originally formed as the result of glacial action during the Ice Age 15,000 years ago, Oakland Lake is a kettle lake, part of the Alley Pond Park system in northeast Queens. It is surrounded by glacial boulders and is fed by underground springs and a ravine that flows into the lake from the south. The lake served several purposes until it was transferred to New York City's Parks Department in 1934. The Parks Department notes: "In the 1930s, Works Project Administration (WPA) workers lined the brook feeding Oakland Lake with blocks, and later, the brook and a small pond leading into the...

The federal Work Projects Administration worked to improve Ocean Beach and many of its attendant facilities during the 1930s. One project called for the reconstruction of "life guard stations, comfort stations, locker rooms, restaurants, and fences."

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) installed a six-inch water main along Ogden Street in Middletown, New York.

During the late 1930s the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) helped to develop what was then Ogdensburg's new municipal airport.

The historic Old Chelsea Station post office on West 18th Street was constructed with Treasury Department funds in 1935-7. The building, which houses examples of New Deal artwork, is still in service.

The historic Old Chelsea Station post office houses examples of New Deal artwork: two sculptures, titled "Deer" and "Bears," by Paul Fiene, housed just inside the public entrance on 18th Street. Made of "cast stone with silver leaf finish," the works were commissioned by  the Treasury Section of Fine Arts and completed in 1938.

By the 1930s, the Old Erie Canal that once formed the heart of the Village of Jordan was no longer a functioning canal. It was given new life by being converted into a landscaped park in the 1930s, with significant help from the WPA. The old Jordan Aqueduct has been incorporated into the park. The park "remains a visual tool for understanding the canal and aqueduct construction" (www.livingplaces.com).

Researcher Frank da Cruz reasons persuasively here that this playground beside the Jerome Park Reservoir was a New Deal project: "t Reservoir and Sedgwick Avenues to Old Fort Four Park (its proper name according to the Parks Department website), but labeled as Fort Four Playground. It was opened in late 1934, some months before Strong Street Playground at the other end of Washington's Walk. Not the press releases, nor any other material I can find, give any credit to the New Deal for this park but since it was built in the same time frame on the same street...

The Lincoln Hospital (also known as the Lincoln Medical and Health Center), has contained several WPA murals. During the 1930s, the Lincoln Hospital (then located at 141st St. and Southern Blvd. in the Bronx) received at least three WPA murals. Ruth Egri painted a large mural entitled "Disease, Cure and Prevention" for the hospital in 1938-1939; Eric Mose painted another WPA mural for the hospital in 1938; and Albert Kelly painted a multi-panel mural entitled "Circus Parade." In 1976, the hospital moved to its present location. Unfortunately, a conversation with an employee of Lincoln Medical Center in 2016 leads us to...

Ruth Egri painted a large WPA mural entitled "Disease, Cure and Prevention" in 1938-1939 for the Lincoln Hospital (then located at 141st St. and Southern Blvd. in the Bronx). In 1976, the hospital moved to its present location on 149th St. The mural’s current status is unknown, but it was probably lost in the demolition of the old hospital c. 2010.

In 1938, artist Albert Kelly painted a multi-panel mural entitled "The Circus" (it may also have been known as "Circus Parade") for the children's ward at the old Lincoln Hospital (then located at 141st St. and Southern Blvd.) in the Bronx. In 1976, the hospital moved to its present location on 149th St. The mural’s current status is unknown, but it was probably lost in the demolition of the old hospital c. 2010.

In 1938 Eric Mose created murals for Lincoln Hospital (also known as the Lincoln Medical and Health Center) in the Bronx with funding from the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project (WPA/FAP) (Smithsonian Archives of American Art). The hospital (then located at 141st St. and Southern Blvd. in the Bronx) moved to its present location on 149th St. in 1976. The mural’s current status is unknown, but it was probably lost in the demolition of the old hospital c. 2010.

Sometimes misattributed to the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.), Olean High School was built as a federal Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project. The P.W.A. supplied a grant of $235,700 for the project, whose total cost was $944,666. Begun in 1935, the building was dedicated Feb. 22, 1937.

Although the history of this park is difficult to pin down, researcher Frank da Cruz makes a compelling argument that this is one of many WPA playgrounds built during the New Deal. First, it is located at the North end of Bronx Park, where all the development was done by the WPA. As da Cruz explains, "The timing is right too; the Parks Department says, 'Parks obtained the land for Olinville Playground in conjunction with the construction of the Bronx River Parkway extension in 1938'" - a period in which literally hundreds of municipal parks were developed by the WPA....

The NYC Parks website explains that the park's name comes from the fact that "Queens’ last one-room schoolhouse occupied this site from the time of its construction in 1879 until its demolition to make room for a public park in 1934." The press release announcing the opening of the playground within the park in December 1935 explained that it, and the other 12 playgrounds opened on the same day, collectively contained: "88 small swings; 72 large swings; 36 seesaws; 14 playhouses; 15 large slides; 11 sand tables; 10 garden swings; 7 small slides; 7 small tables; 6 handball courts; 6 jungle...

Onondaga Lake Parkway was constructed as a $3,000,000 Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the 1930s.

The gazebo bandstand and pool in Upper Onondaga Park in Syracuse, New York were renovated by the Works Progress Administration. They remain in use to this day. Further information is needed about the exact time period of the renovation project.

The federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) conducted improvement work on Brooklyn's Orange Street in 1936.

Orchard Beach is an artificial beach 6,000 feet long on Pelham Bay in Pelham Bay Park on the east side of The Bronx, built by WPA workers under the direction of the New York City Parks Department. It required a major reconfiguration of the shoreline and sand imported from the Atlantic coast.  It included many auxillary improvements, most notably a large bathhouse behind the beach.  Researcher Frank da Cruz sums up New Deal involvement in developing the area based on multiple Parks Department press releases from the 1930s: "Orchard Beach  created by the federal Work Projects Administration (WPA) from a plan developed in...

Suffolk County News reported that between 1935 and 1936, the WPA "improved recreational facilities in following State Parks : Sunken Meadow, Heckscher, Wildwood, Orient Point and Hither Hills..."