• Kooser State Park - Somerset PA
    Kooser State Park in Western Pennsylvania is surrounded by the Forbes State Forest. "The park’s original design character was stamped by the Civilian Conservation Corps projects of the 1930s that established the existing lake and most of its use areas, its architecture and site details."   (https://www.dcnr.state.pa.us) "The CCC established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression built a camp on the western edge of Kooser State Park. The young men of the CCC built the dam on Kooser Run creating Kooser Lake. They also built roads, outdoor fireplaces and cabins. Much of their work can still be seen today...
  • Laurel Hill State Park - Somerset PA
    "Beginning in 1935, the Federal Emergency Relief Administration began purchasing sub-marginal agricultural and forest land so that it could be converted to better use. In 1936, the National Park Service was given the responsibility of the Recreational Demonstration Areas. Laurel Hill was one of five areas in Pennsylvania and targeted for restoration and reforestation, and organized group camping and day picnicking. Beginning in 1935, with cooperation of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, men of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) began building roads, trails, bridges and recreational facilities. Two CCC camps, SP-8 and SP-15 arrived...
  • PennDOT Facility - Somerset PA
    Construction of the PennDOT facility on N Center Ave. in Somerset was undertaken as part of a sizable a New Deal project; the then-Department of Highways and Public Works Administration (PWA) provided the funds for the building’s construction in 1937, along with many similar structures in other parts of Pennsylvania. The PWA provided a $52,841 grant for the project, whose total cost was $121,185. "Construction of 19 new garage and office buildings in as many counties has just been completed by the Department of Highways ... marking another forward step in the drive to develop maximum efficiency among our widespread field forces. This program was launched,...
  • Post Office - Somerset PA
    The Somerset, Pennsylvania Post Office was constructed in 1936 with Treasury Department funds.
  • Post Office Mural - Somerset PA
    Alexander Kostellow's mural of a farm scene at the Somerset post office was painted in 1941 with funds from the Treasury Section of Fine Arts.