Rochester Sites

Rochester, New York's Charlotte High School contains a series of murals commissioned by the federal Works Progress Administration. "The eight murals, each 19 feet tall, were painted in oil on canvas in 1942 by Carl Peters for the Works Progress Administration (WPA)." (rochesterpublicart.com) "Peters’ series captures his understanding of the history of the Lake Ontario region, starting from the Native Americans who originally inhabited the land, to the final scene he called the “Triumph of the American Ideal." (https://mag.rochester.edu/murals/charlotte-high-school/) "In 1937, Rochester’s WPA art project was called “the most interesting and effective outside of New York City” by the regional director of the...

The federal Public Works Administration provided a $182,970 grant for the construction of a new headquarters building for Rochester, New York's Fire Department during the Great Depression. Construction began November 1935. The project was completed at a total cost of $404,319 in May 1937. (PWA Docket No. NY 1154.) "Rochester Fire Department Headquarters and Shops is a historic fire department complex located at Rochester in Monroe County, New York. The complex incorporates two structures: the headquarters building and shops building. The Headquarters Building is triangular in plan and is two stories in height and of buff colored brick construction with light...

The federal Works Progress Administration worked during the late 1930s to double the size and runway length of what was then known as Rochester Municipal Airport.

In 1933 the federal "Public Works Administration pledged grant of $1,490,000 for erection of new John Marshall High School." The school (also known as Al City High School), which was completed in 1936, is still in use.

In 1936, with funding from the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Vera Achen painted the background to an exhibit for the "Seneca Collection" at the Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences (now the Rochester Museum and Science Center, RMSC). Most of the works produced for the project are still held at the museum's collections. More information is needed, however, to establish the status and exact location of Vera Achen's painting today. The WPA photograph caption states that the exhibit for which Achen painted the background, was intended to depict "a Seneca Indian village group" (WPA). From 1935 to 1941, the Rochester Museum of Arts and...

Works Progress Administration laborers did grading and surfacing work for a new road in front of a subway crossing in Rochester. The WPA photo caption indicates that the work was done at Morris Street. More information is needed to determine the current status and exact location of this project.

Rochester, New York's historic Rundel Memorial Library was constructed during the 1930s with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. LibraryWeb.org: "Twenty-two years after the Rochester Public Library was established, construction finally began on a central library. ... The Rundel bequest, after accruing interest over the years, now amounted to about one million dollars. A PWA (Public Works Administration) federal grant of several hundred thousand dollars supplemented the Rundel fund. A site had been chosen along the Genesee River on South Avenue between Court and Broad Streets. Ground was broken in December of 1933 after all arrangements had been made....

A waterworks-improvement construction project in Rochester, New York was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $58,500 grant; the total cost of the project was $89,762. Work occurred between March and September 1936. (PWA Docket No. NY 1169)

Rochester's Wilson Commencement Academy houses a series of murals commissioned by the federal Works Progress Administration, painted by Carl W. Peters. "In 1937, Rochester’s WPA art project was called "the most interesting and effective outside of New York City” by the regional director of the Federal Art Project. Rochester’s model program—hosted and administered by the Memorial Art Gallery—funded several mural groups by the artist Carl W. Peters." (https://mag.rochester.edu/murals/) "Wilson Commencement Academy was originally called West High School. Carl W. Peters received the commission for the West High School murals in 1937/38 and chose as his subject matter the early years of Rochester...

Now housed at Rochester's Wilson Foundation Academy, the federal Works Progress Administration commissioned a series of murals by Carl W. Peters for the city's since-demolished Madison High School. "In 1937, Rochester’s WPA art project was called "the most interesting and effective outside of New York City” by the regional director of the Federal Art Project. Rochester’s model program—hosted and administered by the Memorial Art Gallery—funded several mural groups by the artist Carl W. Peters." (https://mag.rochester.edu/murals/) "Peters was awarded the commission for the Madison High School murals in March of 1937. His subject matter—Life of Action and Life of Contemplation—is a topic that...