Oklahoma Sites

The Works Progress Administration built a school athletic stadium in Clinton, OK. Contributor note: "The original WPA school was razed due to deterioration. This field was originally given to the town for use as a Little League field in the 1980's, however today, the remaining stone wall encircles a playground area at Nance Elementary School. The wall and bleachers appear to be in fairly good shape. The roughly laid native sandstone wall is stepped with a concrete cap, and encircles a two-block area between Hayes and Court. The west end along S. 13th Street is curved. On the north and south sides of...

"The Alex school complex at 2nd and F Streets is the site of the Roy Peters Auditorium. This brick building was constructed in 1937 with an appropriation of $20,000. New aluminum and glass doors have been added, and windows on the south side have been bricked in. A brick extension has been added to the north connecting it to the school. Dr. Roy Peters, for whom the building was dedicated in 1998, was Superintendent from 1947 - 1961. Documentation for this WPA Project was found on the Oklahoma Historical Society's Landmark Inventory: (visit link)"   (waymarking.com)

The Works Progress Administration built a school auditorium and gymnasium in Gotebo OK in 1937. Contributor note: "This building is located on the west side of 10th Street, two blocks south of Pennsylvania in the northwest part of town. The Gotebo schools closed in the 1990s and consolidated with the town of Mountain View. There is a large school north of this gymnasium that stands empty. On the north side of this WPA building is a concrete block addition which currently houses the Senior Citizens, and it is possible that this auditorium is occasionally used for community events. A concrete block addition...

The Schulter school campus was a Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) Project in 1937 and consists of four buildings. This campus includes a Home Ec building, a classroom building with attached gymnasium, and a privy. All are constructed of rusticated native sandstone blocks. The campus is located on the west side of town at the intersection of Lavender Street and Flax Avenue.

School District #42 is a one-story tan brick building with a flat roof. The double-door entrance on the west side is slightly recessed with curved brick walls flanking the doors. The building is in a severe state of disrepair. The original ribbon window units have been partially covered in the past with wood siding, but today, the siding is falling off and many windows are broken. The school is vacant and appears to have been for some time. It is located on the southeast side of town on S. Spiece, between Streets A and B. The building was constructed as a...

"The school Gymnasium at Agawam (pronounced by the locals "Egg'-Wom", is a rectangular building constructed of red brick by the WPA in 1935. Trees and ground cover have grown up around the building and it is very difficult to approach or photograph. For several years recently, the building was used by an antiques and collectables business, Agawam Mercantile. The gym is located on Highway 81, just south of CR 1470. The main entrance, facing east has double metal doors, with projected stone pillars to each side. Above the doors a modern-looking, stylized "GYM" is engraved into a stone panel. A concrete plaque...

"The Harrah school gym is unique because it is constructed of poured concrete. This is a two-story gym building with a barrel roof. The building is painted white and the windows have been covered with metal siding painted blue. Only a couple of window units have a small window remaining. "The building was constructed in 1939-1940 with a WPA appropriation of $84,078. A brick extension has been added to the gym on both the east and west sides. The building appears to still be in use."

"This is a one-story native sandstone building constructed by the WPA in 193-1940 with an appropriation of $29,000. A newer extension has been built at the front, however, a photo from 1987 on the Oklahoma Landmark Inventory database shows the building as it originally stood. The database also shows a photo of the rear of the building which is fenced off from the public today. This building is currently part of a Spencer elementary school. The corners of the building, and the projected pilasters are rusticated sandstone set in courses. The walls are uncut and uncoursed. The corners have projected buttresses...

The WPA constructed a school and gymnasium in Locust Grove in the 1930s. The gym, pictured here, served as a functioning gym for the Locust Grove High School and was in good shape until it was torn down in 2014 due to the construction of the new high school. It is unknown to the Living New Deal whether the rest of the WPA school construction has also been demolished or when.

The Works Progress Administration built a school gymnasium in Washington OK. Contributor note: "The gymnasium was built as a WPA project in 1941-2. It is a rectangular one-story building with a high ceiling, constructed of red brick which has been painted a cream color. The gym is located on the southwest corner of Kerby Avenue and S. Turner Street, behind the Washington Middle School. All windows in the gym are boarded up, but windows in the office areas are exposed and it appears the building is still in use." The building known locally as the “Old Gym” was in use as a library...

Located on Walnut Avenue West of 4th Street are the ruins of a school gymnasium. It was constructed of native sandstone, and WPA shields at several locations on the concrete sidewalks show the date 1939. The building was one-story, with a two-story section on the east side. The roof was barrel shaped and the metal framing is all that is left. Windows around the building were large 20-pane casement windows. Among the rubble inside the building are the remains of concrete bleachers on either side of the gym floor. An outside 16-step staircase leads up the hill to the building.

The Works Progress Administration built a school gymnasium/auditorium in Davis, OK. Contributor note: "This gynmnasium is located at the center of the Davis school campus." "The coordinates shown above are for the gymnasium itself. However, due to later construction, the building is now surrounded by several Davis schools, which cover a two-block area between 4th and 5th Street, from Ferguson to Atlanta Avenue. The only viewing point for the gym is through a chain link fence from a vantage point on 5th Street."

In 1939 the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed a two-story addition on the south end of the original courthouse building. The style of the addition was intended to match the original two-story red brick courthouse that had been built in 1927.

"This is a two-story buff brick building, with an elaborate stone entrance surround. According to the Oklahoma Landmark Inventory database, the second floor to this school was funded by the WPA in 1940 at a cost of $43,143. As the construction work is highly detailed, it is most likely that the actual construction was completed by an outside building contractor. Above the main entrance is a stone faux balcony, with a scalloped parapet in a Mission style. At the ends of the building are also scalloped parapets with brick cross designs outlined in cast stone. The windows, patterned after the ground...

The New York Times reported in 1937: "Tourists have begun to visit the memorial in Sequoyah County, Okla., built by WPA under the sponsorship of the Oklahoma Historical Society ... The stone building erected by WPA encloses the log cabin in which Sequoyah lived 100 years ago, and a new road laid by WPA makes the memorial accessible to motorists." The cornerstone for the project was laid on June 12, 1936. The WPA also constructed a stone wall and the base to a water tower at the site.

"In the late 1800s, the Shannon Springs artesian well was used as a watering hole on the Chisholm Trail, bringing cattle from Texas to the railheads up north. This park was established at the site of these springs, at least during the first years of the 1900s, and perhaps before that. This is a 43-acre park with a very large lake, in which fishing is allowed. Evidence of the work of the WPA is seen everywhere. Low walls and drainage ditches made of native sandstone border the curving driveways. Occasional stone pillars bear the WPA engraving. Work was done between 1936...

"Shannon Springs Park is a large recreational area, constructed also by the WPA. With its ponds, playground, sports areas,and amphitheater, it is the center of many activities throughout the year. The large Christmas Light display in December brings tens of thousands. "The original swimming pool is gone, but the WPA-constructed bathhouse stands today. Built in 1935 with an appropriation of $11,479, this is a one-story concrete block building, with a Spanish Mission flavor. In 1987 when the building was added to the Oklahoma Landmark Database, the building was boarded up and in disrepair. Today, it has been refurbished, is painted...

"Shannon Springs Park dates back to the early 1900s, but in the mid-1930s, the WPA constructed many things in the park, including this lovely amphitheater. The seats are constructed of native sandstone, in two sections, with a center and outside aisles. The semi-circular stage area is also made of stone. A WPA shield in concrete showing the year 1939 is located on the back side of the stage area, and numerous shields have been engraved in the concrete walkways. The amphitheater is still actively in use today, and can be rented for an event by contacting the City of Chickasha. It is...

"The caretaker's house is a one-story native sandstone building, with a steep gable roof with reverse gables on the north and south. The entrance is on the southeast corner and has a covered porch. The house stands higher than the parking area, and has a low stone wall and stone steps leading to the house level. On the north side, a metal door leads to an area beneath the ground floor of the home. This area has no windows. The two-over-two windows in the main house have been replaced with aluminum framing. Several years ago, the building was used as a...

"During the mid-1930s, the WPA constructed many items in Shannon Springs Park, including walls and drainage ditches, a caretaker's cottage and bathhouse, an amphitheater and this beautiful stone bridge. A concrete WPA shield shows the date 1936. The bridge crosses the park lake and has both pedestrian and vehicle access. Stone pillars rise at each end on both sides of the bridge. The bridge has a curved top with a decorative iron railing. The view of this bridge from across the lake, with the trees framing it, and geese and ducks enjoying the scenery, is a beautiful sight. The park, with its numerous...

"This is a rectangular native stone building, with no windows. Two graduated rows of stone are added at the roof line on each corner. On the east side of the front of the building, as large opening which once had a metal sliding door, has been fitted with an overhead door. Above the door and on the upper wall on each end, is a concrete inset engraved "WPA 1938". The building appears to still be in use today. It is listed on the Oklahoma landmarks Inventory database."   (waymarking.com)

The Works Progress Administration built the Sharpe Memorial Park Arena in Purcell OK. Contributor note: "The building of these grandstands showed the openness the WPA had to building items which were of particular interest to the local community - hence a rodeo arena. The grandstands are constructed of poured concrete and are located at the north end of 2nd Street, north of Van Buren. They run north-south with a large area to the east. During our visit in the fall of 2018, dirt work was underway. This area appears to have previously been a baseball field. (Two baseball fields have now been built to...

The Shawnee Adult Learning Center is part of Shawnee's public school system, and was formerly Woodrow Wilson School. In 1940 the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) added two-story brick additions to the north end of the Woodrow Wilson School which had been built in 1928. The WPA additions consisted of an auditorium and a cafeteria. According to a report that ran in The Oklahoman in October 1940, a WPA payment of $28,000 was pending for the construction of the Woodrow Wilson School additions at the time. In the 1980s the school housed all Shawnee 6th graders. Later it became an Early Childhood Education Center....

In 1938 and 1939 the Federal Works Progress Administration built the Shawnee Fire Station at 1950 N. Park Avenue. According the Waymarking webpage for the former fire station, the building, which is evidently occupied, is now half-obscured among residential homes of a similar architectural style. The Waymarking webpage for this site reads as follows: "This fire station, located among homes of its era, fits in so well, it's easy to miss. It is constructed of yellow brick and was a valuable benefit to the residents of Shawnee in 1938. The building is about 42 x 42 feet and has a hipped roof,...

Location Notes:  Extensive sidewalks were constructed in Norman, OK by the WPA with stamps remaining.  The pictured stamp was close to another similar stamp and concrete saw marks around it indicate the city’s intention to save the stamp when redoing the sidewalk.

“Southwestern State Teachers College, now Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, received several WPA projects, including this building still used for classrooms.”

The Works Progress Administration built the chapel at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford OK. Contributor note: "This WPA constructed chapel is located on N. State Street, south of the Old Science Building. This is a one-story native sandstone building with a steep gabled roof. The centered entrance is recessed beneath a cross gable, and is flanked by a set of double 6-over-6 double hung windows. The window placement is identical at the rear. A second entrance is located on the south side of the chapel. A large exterior stone chimney is located on the north side. A WPA bronze shield is mounted...

The Works Progress Administration built the Milam Stadium Field House at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford OK. Contributor note: "The Fieldhouse is a one-story native sandstone building located just outside of the southeast entrance to the field. The small brick addition on the east side was added later. The fixed pane windows have stone sills, and a continuous three-row stone belt course above. The building was constructed by the WPA in 1941-2."

The Works Progress Administration built the Milam Stadium grandstands at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, in 1935. Contributor note: "The Milam Stadium grandstands at Southwestern Oklahoma State University were built by the WPA in 1935. The grandstands are concrete with steel girders, and seat 8600 fans. The stadium is located on the west side of the campus on North 7th Street. The home team stands on the west side have a two-story announcer's booth also built of concrete. The grandstands were completed in 1935, and the stadium is named for former football coach Joe Milam who coached at SWOSU from 1926-1936." "

The Works Progress Administration built the recreation building at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford OK. Contributor note: "Once part of the university campus, this building is currently owned and used by the Weatherford Public School System. This is a native sandstone building constructed by the WPA in 1938. The front elevation, facing east on Broadway is one-story, and the rear (west side) is two stories. The windows are double hung, 3-over-2 and 2-over-2, with the lower level at the rear having boarded up windows. On the south side of the building, an exterior staircase leads to the front, between the building and a...

The Works Progress Administration built the Shops and Recreation Building for the Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Today the building serves as the Weatherford Public School Maintenance Building. Contributor note: "Located south of the State University, this building was once part of that campus. This building was originally pat of the university and was known as Southwest State Shops and Recreation Building. It is located on N. Broadway, across from the Weatherford Public Schools, and is currently used by that school system as a maintenance building. This is a native stone building which is one-story on the east elevation (front), and two-stories on the west...

The CCC worked in Spavinaw Hills park from the early 1930s until 1938.

This large armory in downtown Sperry was constructed by the WPA, and is now used for other public purposes: "Guard unit members mustered out to WWII from this store front location in September 1940, but returned to a sprawling new WPA-built armory that had been dedicated in 1941 on the site of the old town baseball field.  The armory building housed various military units until 1990, and in 1991 the complex was deeded to the Town of Sperry by Tulsa County commissioners.  Town offices were immediately moved into the facility, where they have remained.  In 2007, taxpayers funded a $500,000 remodel...

"Spring Dell School was built in 1936 as a WPA project at a cost of $4,000. It served as a school until 1976 when the district was annexed by Chandler, Meeker and White Rock districts. A plaque on the building reads: "Spring Dell District 75 / 1936 / WPA Project 980". This is a native stone one-room school house, which has exposed rafters and a gable roof. The stone has been painted an earth tone. The typical WPA ribbon windows which consisted of a set of five nine-over-nine wood windows have been infilled with weatherboarding, leaving very small two-pane windows. There...

This culvert, located on the east side of Pecan Bowl Stadium in Okemah, Oklahoma was constructed of large cut stones by the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA). The culvert runs east-west, at the intersection of N. 6th St. and W. Frisco. The opening is about 2 ft. high and 6 ft. wide. The WPA was very visible in Okemah. The Armory directly south of this culvert was also a WPA project, as was Pecan Bowl Stadium adjacent to the culvert.  

"The State Armory is located on West Main Street, at the northeast corner of Osage Avenue. This is one block west of Broadway (Highway 75). The building is constructed of native sandstone, with an office area facing Main Street, and a barrel-roof arena to the north. It was constructed in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration. A cornerstone at the southeast corner reads: STATE ARMORY / BUILT BY WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION 1936 / W.S. KEY STATE ADMINISTRATOR. The building exterior is in good condition, however, all windows have been boarded up and it is not in use at this time."   (https://www.waymarking.com)

"The formidable native sandstone building located at 715 W. Chickasha Avenue was built in 1936 by the WPA. It was the home of the 189th Field Artillery. A photo in the gallery shows the armory as it was in the 1950s. Where today a YMCA sign is erected, formerly, the 45th Infantry "Thunderbird" proudly emblazoned the front of this building. In 1936, the American Legion Post No. 54 also called this building home. Today it houses the Chickasha Area YMCA. Where four large overhead doors flanked the main entrance, those areas are now infilled with glass blocks. A metal plaque on the...

This armory was built by the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA cornerstone on the building shows the year 1936. The Idabel Armory is a one-story native stone building. It is currently used as a bus barn by the local school district.

"The Minco Armory was constructed in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration... The Minco Armory is a one and two-story brick building, with a barrel-roof drill hall at the rear. The front entrance is a single metal door, recessed under an arched surround that has six rows of corbelled brick. The entrance is flanked by four overhead doors, one of which has been bricked in. The armory is decorated by the use of angled and recessed brickwork, with rusticated stone coping and caps. Also known as the Minco National Guard Armory, this building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places...

The Works Progress Administration built the State Armory in Weatherford OK. Contributor Note: The armory building is located on the northeast corner of S. 8th Street and W. Rainey. The main entrance faces south on Rainey. The WPA constructed this armory in 1936-7. It is a one-story red brick building with heavy white stone trim. The entrance on the south is a single glass door and sidelight within a limestone surround, flanked by projecting brick pilasters. A raised pediment trimmed in stone rises above it. The windows are tall vertical units with three panes and heavy stone sills. The south portion of the armory...