• Glass Bowl Stadium, University of Toledo - Toledo OH
    "Originally known as University Stadium, was built in 1936 at a cost of only $335,000 as a Works Progress Administration project. Originally the natural seating bowl held 8,000 in two sideline grandstands. There was a grass hill at the south end of the stadium, and at the open (north) end of the bowl were two stone towers (still standing), that served as makeshift housing for the football team in its early years. Following World War II, the stadium was renovated, with many glass elements. Because of this, and the city's concentration on the industry, the stadium was renamed the...
  • Macomber High School - Toledo OH
    "This new vocational high school is part of an extensive school construction program in Toledo which involved 19 new school buildings and repair work on many others. It is a unit for boys in the upper 3 years of high school, is 3 stories in height and contains an auditorium with a stage, a library, gymnasium, 17 classrooms, 12 laboratories, and 18 shops where students can learn the fundamentals of engineering mechanics by dismantling and assembling standard equipment and in which the essentials of many trades are taught. The building is fireproof, of structural steel and reinforced concrete....
  • Main Library - Toledo OH
    The magnificent main library building in Toledo, Ohio was constructed with the aid of multiple New Deal agencies: the Public Works Administration (PWA), which supplied a large grant to the city for construction, and the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which supplied labor. The building, which bears a 1939 cornerstone, was dedicated on September 4, 1940. "With a cost of nearly 2 million dollars, the Main Branch Library brought work to many Toledo workers and continues to be one of the best public libraries in the nation." One remarkable aspect of the building is the breathtaking frieze that wraps around above its main lobby. According to ToledoLibrary.org: "Displaying...
  • Old Orchard Elementary School - Toledo OH
    "This school is 1 unit of a P.W.A. docket which included 18 new school buildings and repairs to 35 others. Its site is large and provides ample playground space. The building accommodates 480 pupils. It has a central auditorium-gymnasium flanked by 2 wings containing 8 standard classrooms, a kindergarten, a library, domestic science room, and shop. The traditional design is carried out in red brick with stone trim. It was completed in February 1937 at a construction cost of $228,275 and a project cost of $251,092."
  • Ottawa Park Amphitheater - Toledo OH
    "The historic Amphitheater in Ottawa Park was WPA constructed in 1935-1936. It is located on a sloping piece of ground surrounded by trees in a bird sanctuary section of the park. The 500 tons of stone came from a quarry near Whitehouse. The small scrubs and trees planted then are now nearly 100 feet tall! Over the years the seating area has been rebuilt, a handicap accessible ramp added, a stage with backdrops, electricity, and a storage facility. It holds about 750 people. It is the only venue for free open air concerts in this area."
  • Toledo Heights Branch Library - Toledo OH
    "In 1935, this English Tudor style branch was built with the aid of a Public Works Administration (PWA) grant."
  • Toledo Zoo - Toledo OH
    "The Toledo Zoo is home to several buildings that were constructed during this time, including the Reptile House, the Amphitheatre, the Museum of Science, the Aquarium, and the Aviary. Not only are these buildings still in use, most of them are still being used for their original purpose. The construction of the Zoo’s WPA buildings got underway in 1933, with the Reptile House. In addition to the Moorish and Spanish influences that give the building a rustic charm, the Reptile House is remarkable in that it is constructed almost entirely from salvaged materials. The brick, stone and timber were brought in...
  • Toledo Zoo Reptile House and Murals - Toledo OH
    The Reptile House was the first of five buildings constructed by the WPA at the Toledo Zoo. These buildings are still in use today. FAP artist Forrest "Woody" LaPlante was one of three muralists who painted botanical backgrounds in each reptile exhibit. Most of these murals were destroyed in the 1970s, but the remaining murals were restored by LaPlante in the 1990s. The building was constructed from materials recycled from local areas, such as the Wabash Railroad shops and the former Miami and Erie canals. The architecture of the building was inspired by Spanish and Moorish styles in reference to the city's...