Oklahoma Sites

Between 1936 and 1939 the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) built the Jim Thorpe Stadium Complex at Shawnee High School in Shawnee, Oklahoma. In 2010 Shawnee voters approved a $3 million bond issue in order to renovate part of the complex. As a result the WPA-constructed rock wall and a sandstone clubhouse that had been built later were demolished. Hamquilters Waymarking webpage for the Jim Thorpe Stadium describes it in the following way: "...This stadium...is built with steel reinforced concrete and brick. It stands 24 tiers on the field side. All of the stadium windows have been covered with wood. The lower windows...

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) conducted a renovation project at what was then known as the Johnson school northwest of Shawnee, Oklahoma in 1933. The location and status of this facility is unknown to Living New Deal.

The Works Progress Administration built the Joy Gymnasium in Joy, about four miles south of Wynnewood OK. Contributor note: "Joy is a small rural community in Murray County, Oklahoma. It got its name from the name of the school that was established when three local towns consolidated their districts. It was named Joy when that name was chosen in a 1922 student contest. This gymnasium is located on State Highway 77 at County Road 1670 (Joy Road). The Joy Gymnasium was built in 1939 as a WPA project. It is located behind an earlier brick school which is no longer used. The school...

The Works Progress Administration built a school in Katie OK. Contributor note: "The Katie School was built in 1939-1940 by the WPA. This is a 4-classroom school constructed of native sandstone. It has a hipped roof, with a small gable over the east-facing entrance. This entrance and the ones on the sides of the school are recessed under an arched opening. The school is symmetrical with the entrance at the center. Two six-window ribbon units flank the entrance. The units extend to the eaves, but the top half is covered with wood slats, leaving 6-over-6 double hung units. The school is located...

Kellyville Dam was constructed as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project ca. 1935-6.

In 1939, the WPA built a school and gymnasium in Kellyville, OK. A 1985 Oklahoma Landmarks Inventory surveyed the site and gave the following description of the school: "This large school of ten rooms or more is a single-story, rectangular (94' x 223') building constructed of uncut and beaded native stone of auburn and buff colors. The masonry of the building is random rubble. The roof is flat with parapets... Pilaster strips along the walls and at the corners of the school give it an art deco flavor. There is a beautiful stone fence with a spectacular entrance in front of...

Kingfisher is the seat of Kingfisher County. This building, constructed in 1936 as a jail, is currently occupied by the Kingfisher County Sheriff's Department as their county jail. It stands south of the courthouse at 119 S. Main Street. It was built with a WPA appropriation of $5,802. The building is constructed of large, tan-colored brick. The west and south sides have a metal security facade, however, construction can be viewed on the east (rear) side. This is a two-story building with an exposed basement. The windows are single units. A photo from the 1980's shows the openings once held 42-pane...

This is a one-story tan brick building, with a flat roof, constructed by the WPA in 1940. A bronze shield is attached to the building documenting this. The building is located at the corner of E. Bowman and S. 5th. The entrance is a single pedestrian door, flanked by columns of standing brick for decoration. Four rows of darker brick run horizontally between the windows. The windows are four-pane casement, set in doubles and triples. Three overhead doors are located on the east side, with one on the rear. The building is an actively used shop, and there were many vehicles and...

Kingfisher Park is a large city park on the east side of Kingfisher, along Highway 33. The park was constructed with a WPA allocation of $11,000 - year unknown. This park is listed as a WPA project in the Oklahoma Landmark Inventory database. Remnants of WPA construction were noted in the native stone picnic tables and a suspension footbridge which has masonry support pillars at each end.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built the Kiowa County Jail in Hobart, OK. Contributor note: "he Kiowa County Jail is still in operation as a jail, and also houses the Kiowa County Sheriff's Office. It was built in 1905 and is a two story brick building, with an exposed basement. The windows are multi-paned casement units, with the windows at the rear having arches. The building is a Contributing Building to the Hobart Historic Business District (Property No. 13). In 1936, a $15,506 appropriation was made for refurbishing of the jail. The building was renovated and enlarged. Originally the building was styled as...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built the Konawa National Guard Armory in Konawa OK. What makes the Konawa National Guard Armory so intriguing is that a pair of swastikas on the front of the building. Most people associate this symbol with the Nazi people of World War 2, but prior to the war the symbol was a Native American emblem and was used by the 45th Infantry Division of Oklahoma as a tribute to the large Native American population. The Company F, 2nd Battalion, 179th, 45th Infantry Division was the first unit to occupy the building after it was built. But...

This WPA boathouse was built in 1938, and is still standing: "This boathouse is a two-story, rectangular (34' x 68') structure constructed of cut, course, and rusticated native stone. It has a parapet roof... The lower level where boats dock, contains a small room that Claremore policemen once used as a jail. The roof is now made of tin and the doorway has a partial insert of wood attached, but these alterations do not impeach the integrity of the building. This structure is now designated for boat storage."   (Oklahoma Landmarks Inventory Nomination) Additional contributor note: "Lake Claremore is located on the northeast side...

Both the CCC and the WPA worked extensively on Lake Murray State Park in the 1930s. The lake itself was completed in 1937 and opened to the public in 1938. The Lake's iconic Tucker Tower was started by the New Deal workers, but not finished until the early 1950s. An article on www.americasstateparks.org describes CCC work in the park in detail: "Members of the CCC constructed 10 state parks in Oklahoma, beginning with Lake Murray State Park, the first and largest of the original parks. Recruits began construction on park structures in 1935, two years after the inception of the CCC....

“In Oklahoma 326 conservation and flood control dams and hundreds of ponds were built with WPA dollars. Several dams in Oklahoma were built for the primary purpose of conserving water that could be used for multiple purposes. Lake Texoma and Grand Lake both became realities before the end of WPA." --Leaning on a Legacy

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built the Lakeview Road Bridge in Stillwater OK. From waymarking.com: "The WPA constructed large amounts of roadway infrastructure during the last half of the 1930's, including thousands of bridges and culverts. This bridge on West Lakeview Road, about 5 miles west of Stillwater, crosses Dry Creek. The bridge has seen a lot of wear and tear and the concrete guardrails are broken in several places, with sections missing. The bridge on both sides of the road has imprints of the WPA shield with the year 1939, and one place on a guardrail pillar, there is evidence that...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built an addition to the Langston Elementary School in Langston OK. The structure is currently not in use. 

The Works Progress Administration built the Latimer County Courthouse in Wilburton. Contributor note: "The Latimer County Courthouse is located at the intersection of N. Central and W. Ada. This is a beautiful two-story rock building that is painted a cream color. The gutters and downspouts are painted in a contrasting terracotta color which adds to the effect. The windows for the most part are 8-pane fixed units. There are recessed double-door entrances on the south and east. The courthouse has three bays with the center bay slightly projected on the east, and having a higher roof line. To the left of the...

The Works Progress Administration built the Lee Park in Cordell OK. Contributor note: "Lee Park lies between 2nd and 3rd Streets, and between Glenn L. England (Highway 183) and Cordell Avenue. An extension north of 3rd Street also contains basketball court and skate park, as well as some playground equipment and an old hut. This park was a WPA project in 1940 and contains numerous rock structures, such as two bridges, drinking fountains, fire pits, drainage ditches and walkway curbing, as well as a rock hut. Over the years, items have been added, such as volleyball court and a nice Kiwanis sponsored playground. The...

The Lee School is one of three schools built by the Works Progress Administration in Pauls Valley between 1939 and 1940. Contributor Note: "Lee Elementary School is located at 300 W. Bert at the corner of N. Ash Street, and is an active elementary school today. The streets in Pauls Valley run SE-NE/SW/NW. It has an Art Deco theme, which was rare for the architect Albert S. Ross. The school is a one story buff brick building constructed in an L-shape, with a flat roof. Additions added to each end later have been constructed to closely match the original. The windows are set...

Lee School was a Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA)-built school that was constructed in 1936, with an appropriation of $49,242. The school no longer stands, and all that remains are the concrete sidewalks stamped with the WPA shield, and a roughly made sandstone wall which runs along the south and west sides of the property. A newer elementary school has been built on the east half of the property.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) installed new equipment and conducted repairs at the light plant in Cherokee, Oklahoma. They also improved city electrical lines. The status and location of this $54,733.08 project is unknown to Living New Deal.

From Waymarking.com: "Lincoln Park is a large area on the east side of Northeast Lake and the Oklahoma City Zoo. The CCC was responsible for the construction of the lake, and several buildings in the zoo were constructed by the CCC and WPA. In Lincoln Park, there are dozens of picnic tables built by the WPA in 1936, located throughout the wooded picnic areas. They are actively used by the citizens of Oklahoma City. They consist of a rusticated native sandstone cube on top of which is a poured concrete table top. Each table has four seats which have a rectangular...

"The gymnasium addition on the north end is a tall one-story addition faced with light cream colored brick. This is a windowless building, with some high windows on the north having been bricked in. The roof is basically flat, with a very slightly pitched center for drainage. "The entrance facing east has two sets of double wood doors, flanked by a dark stacked-brick surround. The entrance is covered with a flat metal canopy roof. Concrete stairs lead from the sidewalk level to the street. "This addition was constructed in 1940 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) with an appropriation of $43,250."

“In Oklahoma 326 conservation and flood control dams and hundreds of ponds were built with WPA dollars. Several dams in Oklahoma were built for the primary purpose of conserving water that could be used for multiple purposes. Lake Texoma and Grand Lake both became realities before the end of WPA. The Lugert Dam to create Altus Lake had the initial purpose of providing irrigation. In order to begin work in that location, a CCC camp had to be dismantled, and WPA workers were brought in to ready a camp for the influx of workers anticipated. Creating Altus Lake also made...

"Luther Cemetery (also known as Valley View Cemetery), dates back to about 1910. This is a cemetery with 1470 burials. Surrounding the cemetery, on all four sides, is a wall constructed of uncut native stone, topped with concrete. The wall was constructed under a WPA project funded with $3022 in 1936. The cemetery is located about one-half mile north of Route 66 on Peebly Road. This WPA project is listed in the Oklahoma Landmark Inventory database."   (waymarking.com)

"This school is constructed of buff-colored brick, with darker tan brick around window and entrance openings. The rounded brick walls at the entrance gives the building an Art Deco look. The school was part of a WPA project funded in 193-1940 in the amount of $63,557, which includes a bus barn not shown. The school is listed in the Oklahoma Landmark Inventory database. Their survey done in 1987 shows that a considerable updating has been completed on the window units of the school since their photos were taken."   (waymarking.com)

“The CWA was implemented to deal with expected high employment. The president believed Many Americans would starve unless given a chance to work in the program. The plan included a specific amount of money and time, and it was under FERA in the winter of 1933-1934. Later, the WPA finished projects begun by the FERA or the CWA. In Oklahoma this resulted in the construction of the Mangum Community Building and the Purcell City Building.” --Leaning on a Legacy

"The Marlow High School stadium was completed by the WPA in 1936. Unfortunately, most of the construction no longer remains, with the exception of four arches which still stand at the entrance. The original stone marker shows "BUILT BY WPA 1936." Two granite markers have been laid in the wall which read "W.P.A. 1936" and "PARK BOARD J.E. SHIELDS / CLYDE FERGUSON / JOHN C. FISHER" The four original arches have wood fencing installed in them, to form a wall at the entrance of the stadium. The Marlow High School "Outlaws" play their Division 3A football here on Friday evenings during the school...

In 1985 this small school was nominated to the Oklahoma Landmarks Inventory and National Register of Historic Places as a WPA site, and it was far from the only such school in Oklahoma. "In Oklahoma towns such as Tatums, Mazie, Madill and others, the Works Project Administration offered jobs to minorities and educational opportunities for their children... Many schools built in Oklahoma by the WPA were constructed by minority workers and benefited their children. Many of these schools still stand 50 years later."   (https://newsok.com) An Oklahoma Library Commission Report also lists a 1939 WPA built library at a school in Mazie - most...

The Works Progress Administration built the McCarty School in the vicinity of Elmore City, OK. Contributor note: "The McCarty School was built to educate children in the rural area northeast of Elmore City. This two-room school is located in an area known as McCarty, although there is no town per se. When built in 1939, it was the only building in the area. It stands on the northwest corner of the intersection of County Roads 1620E and 3190N, about six miles northeast of Elmore City. This is a one-story, two-classroom school with a gabled roof. The building appears to be vacant at this time....

The Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Federal Emergency Relief Admn (FERA), and the Civil Works Admn (CWA) built multiple facilities in McClain Rogers Park in Clinton OK. Contributor note: "McClain Rogers Park was built with the combined efforts of the Federal Emergency Relief Admn (FERA), the Civil Works Admn (CWA), and the Works Progress Admn (WPA). It was constructed during the period 1934 to 1937. This is an area of about 12 acres which is bordered on the east by S. 10th, on the west by S. 13th, between Opal to the north and Jaycee on the south. There are two large entrance gates,...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Federal Emergency Relief Admn (FERA), and the Civil Works Admn (CWA) built multiple facilities in McClain Rogers Park in Clinton OK. The Amphitheater and Bandstand was one of the structures built with New Deal help. Contributor note: "The amphitheater seats 400 on curved native sandstone benches topped with smooth concrete. They form a semi-circle, sloping down to the southwest to the bandstand. This is an eye-opening amphitheater that remains in use today. Between the rows of seating, narrow areas of grass add to the comfort and acoustics of the arena. Each row of seats has a dedication plaque which...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Federal Emergency Relief Admn (FERA), and the Civil Works Admn (CWA) built multiple facilities in McClain Rogers Park in Clinton OK. The Highway Patrol Building was one of the structures built with New Deal help. Contributor note: "This building has also been referred to as the Public Restrooms Building, but the National Register application calls it The Highway Patrol building, as it was occupied by the Highway Patrol from 1941 forward. It is located just south of the main entrance to McClain Rogers Park on S. 10th Street. At the current time, because of some papers seen in the...

The WPA built these unique stone "castles" at McKinley Park in Oklahoma City. "...he most fascinating thing to see, as you come in the park from the east, are two small native stone buildings constructed to look like small castles. They are located on each side of the main drive into the park. The north building is boarded up and appears to possibly have been for storage. The south building has barred windows and a few tables and chairs can still be seen inside. It was difficult to tell whether these buildings are currently in use. The buildings are constructed of native...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) contributed to the improvement of Oklahoma City’s McMechan Park in 1940. “McMechan Park at Oklahoma City, Okla., will be expanded to a 17-acre development,” a reporter noted in January 1940, “according to plans disclosed by Donald Gordon, superintendent of parks. A $12,000 WPA project which will include landscaping, tree planting, grading, and establishment of play areas on the site will be submitted.” According to the Parks and Recreation Department, the WPA expanded the park to include land on both sides of McMechan Parkway. The park still serves as a recreation site for Oklahoma City residents today.

"Meeker Junior/Senior High School is located on the east side of the downtown area on Carl Hubbell Street (Hwy 62). This is a large one-story native stone building, constructed in 1939 with an appropriation of $54,963. This is an L-shaped building with intersecting gable roofs. An aerial photo shows the L-shaped configuration of the school. The entrances to the two sections of the building have double aluminum and glass doors, and are recessed beneath a sandstone arch. Large window openings have been infilled with stone, and have decorative boarded windows. Four historic dormers on the facade have been removed. A...

"One of only 27 municipal buildings constructed by the WPA in Oklahoma... The old town hall of Meeker is located at 115 N. Fowler, a half-block off the main street. This is a one-story rectangular, native sandstone building, which is currently a private residence. The west-facing facade has a centered, 12-pane door, flanked by two deep-set window openings. One has a pair of metal-framed 6-over-6 windows, while the other has a single window and a partial infilling. The gable roof currently is covered with metal siding. A cloth awning has been added to the facade. This town hall is 29' x...

“WPA benefited both local school districts and institutions of higher learning. The OU Memorial Union Tower was built on the Norman campus in 1936.”  

The Works Progress Administration built the Middleberg School in Middleberg OK. Contributor note: "This school was constructed by the WPA in 1938 with an appropriation of $9,000. It is located on Old Highway 62 in Middleberg on the public school campus. The building is rectangular, one-story with a gabled roof. The building has been covered with what appears to be concrete slab veneer. The double windows have been updated and now consist of two-pane fixed units. The building is painted white and has a metal roof facade. The main entrance has two glass doors recessed within a brick arched porch, with the name...

"Located in the rural area of Midlothian, southwest of Chandler, (from the intersection of Hwys 66/18, south on Hwy 18 4 miles, then West 2.25 miles on Midlothian Road (CR950), this two-room schoolhouse was constructed by the WPA in 1936-1937. It is a one-story rectangular building with a double gabled roof, and native sandstone walls. The entrances on the south and west have a typical WPA arched entrance, sheltering single doors. The windows throughout have been boarded with wood and painted a rust color. Behind this boarding on the east side is a row of ribbon windows in each classroom....