Oklahoma Sites

The Works Progress Administration built the Blaine Stadium and Fieldhouse in Ponca City OK in 1936-1937. The stadium is built with rusticated stone. It is still used by Ponca City High School football. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. According to the Oklahoma Landmarks Inventory Nomination for the Blaine Stadium, the stadium project created "wages for 32,000 man-hours of labor into the local economy, helping to revitalize the mainstreet hit hard by the decline of the oil industry and of the value of agricultural products."

The Works Progress Administration built the Blanchard gym/auditorium in Blanchard OK. Contributor note: "The Blanchard gym/auditorium was completed as a WPA project in 1941. This is a one-story red brick building with an arched roof. On the west end, two wings reach north and south. All windows have been boarded up. The west end of the building has been remodeled with a roof facade, and currently houses the Blanchard Alumni Association, addressed as 400 N. Harrison Avenue. Two brick pillars at curbside were placed by the Classes of 1939 and 1940. Above the windows on the rear portion of the building is a...

This former WPA school in what was then the community of Blue Bell (no longer extant) was restored as a private residence in the 1990s: "But now, thanks to an adventurous couple from Tulsa, there is something else in Blue Bell that promises to secure its legacy - an old, hand-hewn sandstone school building restored to its glory and looking much as it did in 1937 when it was built by the Works Progress Administration... The building, gutted and remodeled during the past four years by the Wingfields, has everything that more modern homes have - living room, kitchen, bedrooms, baths. But...

The Works Progress Administration built several structures for the Bluejacket Public School between 1936-1939. The author of this submission provided the Living New Deal with the following account based on personal discussions with a family member who was the superintendent of the combined projects: "The work consisted of razing the condemned school building, constructing a gymnasium, constructing a combined grade and high school building. The work started in 1936 and was completed 1939. Work crews began by razing the existing 3-story brick school house, constructing the gymnasium from native tan-variegated sandstone, constructing a combined 1st through 12th-grade schoolhouse with library, administrative offices, and two toilets with...

"Boiling Springs State Park is a park built near Woodward, Oklahoma, by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and named for one of the several natural springs which occur in the park... In 1935 much of the land comprising the present day park was acquired by the City of Woodward to provide a place for recreation for its citizens and visitors. Although the local “swimming hole” was already present the primary development work was accomplished by the young men of Company 2822 of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) from 1935 to 1939. A monument stands in the main picnic area...

The original school was built in 1912, and then in 1937, the WPA built an auditorium and gym. According to a 1987 survey, "Gym was added to original school, which no longer exists. Newer school buildings added in 1940s changed position of school on lot. Brick shows signs of paint." Contributor note: "Booker T. Washington, located at 502 N. Admire, was a high school, constructed by the WPA. It was a black high school in a time before integration, and was closed in 1968. "This is a two-story red brick building, with the first floor partially below ground level. The main entrance which...

Contributor note: "Bowers School is located about six miles west of Wilburton off Highway 270. This is a two-room school about 28 x 68 ft. constructed of cut and coursed native sandstone, which is now painted a sand color. It is currently used as a community center, and used by the West End Fire Department, who have an additional metal vehicle building nearby. The school faces west and has a two-door entrance recessed beneath a porch gable roof, supported by four beams. The school roof is gabled and now covered with metal siding. Windows on the front are boarded, but the...

On the northwest corner of 6th and Leach, this Boy Scout Hut is located in a park area. This is a one-story native stone building, with an entrance facing east and located in a slight projected portion of the building. A sign shows that it is occupied as a hut for Cub Scout Pack 183. It was constructed in 1935 with an appropriation of $9,806. The roof is hipped and covered with composition shingles. The entrance projection has a reversed gable. The windows are currently large one-over-one double hung, with a couple of them covered with metal siding. An historical photo...

"This red brick armory was constructed by the WPA in 1936... Architecturally, the armory is unique in terms of materials in that brick WPA structures are unusual in northeastern Oklahoma. Moreover, nothing in Boynton compares to the structure in terms of scale. This WPA project also gave work to those desperately in need of it and infused wages from almost 75,000 man-hours of labor into Boynton's economy." The building, which is located at the northeast corner of Porter and 3rd, is currently vacant.

“The greatest legacy of the WPA in Oklahoma may be the hundreds of WPA-built buildings that are still in use. To most citizens, the public buildings are the most visible remains of a work relief program that truly benefited the taxpayers both at the time and generations later." "More schools were built by WPA in Oklahoma than in any other state. The Final Report lists 825 new school buildings and 185 substantial additions to existing schools. The number of school projects made up nearly one-half of the public buildings constructed with WPA funds. Other buildings constructed by WPA totaled 1,309.” “The Antlers...

The WPA built this addition to Calumet High School in 1938. The site is now Calumet Junior High School. From Waymarking.com: The Calumet High School building was constructed in 1920. It is a one-story red brick building with high stepped parapets. There is stone coping and stone blocks for embellishment. The addition to the school extends to the north and consists of one-story flat roofed classrooms. The first section is brick, with ribbon windows set in two units of four, and one unit of five. The section to the north of this is also one-story flat roof, but has a single unit...

An Oklahoma Historical Society document records that: "Unlike many other Oklahoma towns, Henryetta appears to have weathered the Depression reasonably well, in part because of the lingering importance of coal. As a result, Henryetta possesses fewer buildings constructed as Depression-era relief projects. One facility which did result from a 1938 WPA project is Cameron Field, located at South C Street at Jack Gibson Drive." The field is still extant and actively used.

"The native sandstone wall around the football field is a WPA project. Capitol Hill High School is located at 500 S.W. 36th Street. Built in 1928, it is still in use today. On the west side of the school, the C.B. Speegle Stadium is home to the Capitol Hill Redskins. Surrounding the field is an approximately 8 ft. high wall made of the traditional Oklahoma sandstone seen in the greatest number of WPA projects in the State. At the east end of the football field, the sandstone wall attaches to a 10 ft. high white stone ticket booth area. This wall has a...

“Stadiums and field houses became important additions for many school systems. In Oklahoma, competitive sports added quality of life for residents during the Great Depression. Small school districts were especially proud to receive an ‘indoor’ gym. High school stadiums such as Taft Stadium and Capitol Hill Stadium were built in Oklahoma City and Webster High School in Tulsa."

"Originally built in 1935 as Capitol School at 802 E. Vilas, this building is currently home to the Board of Education and other Guthrie Public Schools administrative offices. This WPA project is documented on the cornerstone where is indicates that this is WPA project 6-49. This is a one-story tan brick building which faces south. The entrance is slightly recessed with a single glass door, sidelights and transom. The entrance is within a stone surround with the words CAPITOL SCHOOL embossed in stone. Four concrete steps lead to the entrance door."   (waymarking.com)

The Cave Springs Public School is a K-12 school in rural Oklahoma. The main building was constructed in 1926. The WPA added this gymnasium in 1939: "This 'Y' shaped building measures 112' by 135' and is constructed from cut and rusticated, randomly laid native stone. The roof is gabled with cross gables and arched over the gym... The walls of the gym were constructed of double rock of about 18 inches in width. Concrete inlays create false arches on the front facade of the structure... The WPA's construction of the building has provided the community with an exceptional community resource... Massive double...

A CCC monument erected in 1987 commemorates CCC Company 884 which worked out of Rush Springs, Oklahoma. This camp focused primarily on "soil conservation due to the nature of the soil in this area. The work performed here consisted of terracing and other work to deter soil erosion...A granite monument is erected east of the municipal pool on the east side of Jeff Davis Park, on the east side of Rush Springs. CCC Company 884 camp was located in this area between 1933 and 1942." (waymarking.com) The monument inscription includes: "To all the young men who served and to future generations that...

The Central Fire Station in Ada, Oklahoma, was constructed by the Public Works Administration (PWA), under the supervision of architect Robert F. Ferguson, consulting engineer George Taylor, and contractor Arney Harbert. It is a two-story stone block building with four overhead door vehicle bays. A tall hose tower is located on the building's south side.

Between 1937 and 1939 the WPA made improvements to Chase Park in Seminole, Oklahoma. The improvements included the construction of a wading pool and bathhouse. The Oklahoma Historic Preservation Survey notes that "...The workers who built the bathhouse and pool were drawn from relief rolls and had lost their jobs due to the economic depression. Their labor supplied the city of Seminole with recreational facilities that have been of benefit to many children on the hot summer days of southern Oklahoma. The facilities are unique to Seminole for their type and materials. They also demonstrate the variety of construction undertaken by...

Built by the WPA in 1939.

This public housing facility was built by the PWA in 1936-38. The site was designed by George Blumenauer, architect, and built by D.C. Bass Construction Co. The apartments still exist, but are now privately owned. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 2013.

Just south of I-44 in the northeast corner of Oklahoma lies a historic 1936 school building built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). "This one-room, rectangular (23' x 45') structure is made of uncut native stone." The building is now privately owned. Remarkably, Google Street View imagery from I-44 shows the building to be extant as of 2017, even given that there is no exit to S 680 Rd., on which the structure resides, from the interstate.

The CCC was extensively involved in development of the portion of the Chickasaw National Recreation Area formerly known as Platt National Park: "Originally known as Sulphur Springs Reservation, and later renamed Platt National Park, the park was established in 1902 through an agreement with the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations and the federal government... Though a number of landscape elements in the Platt District relate to the early period of the park’s establishment, the majority of historic landscape resources relate to the period 1933-1940. During this period, NPS professionals planned and designed extensive park infrastructure which was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)....

"Veterans Lake is located in the western portion of the Chickasaw National Recreation Area's Platt Historic District. The lake is an excellent fishing venue, hiking and picnicking nearby. No-wake boating is allowed on the lake. It was created by the damming of Wilson Creek. Veterans Lake was built in in the mid-1930s by the WPA and became part of Chickasaw National Recreation Area in 1983. Land for the lake was funded by local citizens in the Sulphur area. The 67-acre lake was named in honor of American war veterans. The lake offers three miles of shoreline, along with a boat ramp,...

"The Chickasha Junior High School building currently houses the Middle School. The gymnasium/auditorium so closely matches the architecture of the main school building that it appears to be a single construction project, however, research has only found reference to the gym/auditorium as being a WPA project. The aerial photo in the gallery shows the auditorium at the bottom, and the gymnasium above it, in the center of this block-square school campus. The auditorium is constructed of tan brick and has a curved entrance with the word "AUDITORIUM" cast in stone at the top. A set of four 8-pane windows are on...

"The Yukon City Hall is a two-story light brick building constructed by the WPA in 1936. It faces north and has a centered entrance. The building has five bays, separated by decorative masonry pilasters, with engraving at the tops. The entrance is a single aluminum and glass door with a narrow sidelight and transom. Beneath the ground floor windows is a stone water table which surrounds the building. Each floors has a single fixed pane window with a stone sill. Across the top of the facade is a wide stone entablature which is engraved "CITY OF YUKON". The WPA shield...

The golf course was built in 1940, and is one of only two golf courses built by the Federal Works Progress Administration in Oklahoma. This a 160-acre, 18-hole course sits on the southeast edge of town and is currently leased to the Idabel Country Club.    

"The new Municipal Building at Ardmore replaces two old structures, one of which was used as the city hall and one as the police station, and makes possible the concentration of all of the municipal departments under one roof. The building is three stories in height and is 72 by 120 feet in plan. The police department, offices for the street super-intendent and health officer, and space for the fire-department apparatus are on the first floor. The second floor is devoted to the council chamber, water department, city manger's office, city engineer's office, and a dormitory for the...

The Wagoner City Hall was built by the WPA in 1936-37. "A single story, rectangular (40' x 79') structure, the Wagoner City Hall is constructed of rusticated and coursed native sandstone... The Wagoner City Hall is significant because it reflects the wide range of projects undertaken by the WPA and its method of operations. City halls were considered 'useful' projects, just like schools and armories. And rather than begin construction anew, in the instance of Wagoner the WPA began with an old structure and 'reconstructed' it. Put differently, the agency tore down an old building and built a new one in its...

What was then the Coweta city hall was built by the WPA in 1939-1940. The city hall has since moved, and this building now serves as the town police department. The Oklahoma Landmarks Inventory form for WPA projects in Wagoner County described the building and its significance: "A single story structure with a flat roof and parapets, the Coweta City Hall is...constructed of uncut and rusticated native stone... The clear allusion to art deco style makes the Coweta City Hall relatively unique for a WPA building. And within the community the structure is notable for its type, style and workmanship." A fire...

This former city hall and jail building was built by the PWA in 1936. "The building is currently the location of the Prague Police Department, with the municipal offices having moved to another location in town. ...The town of Prague applied for a grant and received $6,316 toward construction costs. The building was completed in November 1936 and occupied in January of 1937. The first public meetings were held there in March of that year. The PWA grants were for 45% of costs, and if the applicant was legally allowed to enter into loan agreement, the remaining 55% could be borrowed...

"City Park is located on S.E. 1st Street, between E. Broadway and E. Catalpa. This is a long, narrow park, with a creek running through it. At the south end of the park is a lovely wood gazebo and a covered bridge. Playground equipment and a pavilion draw residents to the park for community activities. At the north end of the park, a low, native sandstone wall has been constructed on the west, north and east sides of the park. Construction of the park, and the stone walls was a WPA project, with allocated funds of $10,908 and was completed in...

The armory was built by the WPA in 1935: "This armory is a single-story, rectangular...structure constructed of cut, course, and rusticated native stone of buff color. The central portion of the roof is arched, while the remainder of it is flat... As a WPA building this armory is exceptional for its quality of workmanship that reaches the level of artistic expression. It is unique within the city of Claremore in terms of type, materials, style, and most notably workmanship."   (www.okhistory.org) Since its addition to the Oklahoma Landmarks Inventory Nomination in 1985, the armory has unfortunately been demolished.

"The auditorium was constructed as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) public works project in 1936-1937, during the Great Depression. It provided much-needed jobs in the Clayton area, which had been economically ravaged. According to an architectural survey completed in 1988, the auditorium is almost unique in being only one of two known WPA buildings constructed for sole use as auditoriums rather than as dual-use auditoriums and gymnasiums. (Much more common elsewhere in the county and Oklahoma was the dual-use auditorium and gymnasium, such as the WPA built elsewhere in the county in Antlers, Oklahoma, Moyers, Oklahoma and Rattan, Oklahoma.) ... The building was...

Excerpt from okhistory.org Delaware WPA Properties 1985: "This essentially "L" shaped structure (188' x 156 on the exterior sides) is constructed of rusticated and random laid limestone. It has a flat roof and parapets capped with concrete. Recessed entryways have paired doors with transcoms framed by poured concrete columns with entablature and squared cornices. The large wood sash windows are framed by pilasters and have continuous concrete sills and lintels. Continous friezes above and below the windows and curved corners give this building an art deco appearance."

"In 1938 the PWA officials approved a $94,000 grant for a new courthouse and jail, with the remaining funds to be secured by a county bond issue. Noted OKC architect Walter T. Vahlgert designed the new courthouse directly in front of the existing courthouse which continued to function while the new courthouse was being built. Tankersley Construction Company of Oklahoma City constructed the courthouse at a total cost of $209,090. The combination of the Classical Revival form with Art Deco ornamentation was popular for public construction projects in the late 1930's and early 1940's, particularly for projects funded by the PWA....

The Works Progress Administration built the Clinton Armory in Clinton OK. Contributor Note: "The Clinton Armory was built by the WPA between 1935-1937. It was designed by Bryan W. Nolan. The main entrance faces south onto Opal Avenue, across from the large McLain Rogers Park. It is addressed as 723 S. 13th. The armory was placed on the National Register in 1994. The south portion of the armory is one-story red brick with a flat roof and was used for offices and storage. The main entrance has a single glass door with sidelights, flanked by wide brick pilasters, with a cast concrete surround....

Loren Mozley painted this mural "Race for Land" in 1938 for the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. It currently hangs in the City Council chambers.

The Works Progress Administration built the Exhibit & Auction Building at the Clinton Fairgrounds in Clinton OK. Contributor note: "This is a two-story building, with randomly laid native sandstone walls. The roof is flat and the windows are casement units with stone sills and lintels. At the south end, the main entrance is a one-story projected entry foyer, with three single doors and sidelights. Above this entrance is a frieze which reads: "19 EXHIBIT & AUCTION BUILDING 41". The building was begun is 1940 as shown on the bronze WPA shield mounted to the right of the entrances. The building is located at N. 6th Street...

The Works Progress Administration built the Livestock Exhibit Building at the Clinton Fairgrounds in Clinton OK. Contributor Note: "This is a one-story brick livestock building, with a shallow gabled roof. The lower 30 inches of the walls are native sandstone, and large sandstone rocks are set into the corners of the building. There are 15 window openings on each side, which are all boarded up, as are vehicle doors and pedestrian doors on the north and south ends. The building is located on North 6th Street. It has been sitting vacant for many years, but is currently being used for storage of theater props and...