Clarksville Sites

The National Guard Armory in Clarksville was one of several Art Deco-styled armories in the state. The site was surveyed January 1940, located north of the Austin Peay Normal School on Drane and Marion Street. Excavation and pouring of the concrete footings was done in October. Larry Bryant was superintendent for the project. A 6-yard scraper and tractor was used for excavation. Engineer Manley of the state supervised construction and John R. Dickson was the chief WPA office clerk. The number of workers varied during the project but by completion was about 81, including 76 WPA certified workers, along with skilled...

The Federal Building in Clarksville, Tennessee—originally constructed as a post office, was constructed during the Great Depression with Treasury Department funds. The design of the United States Post Office for Clarksville was released April 19, 1935, to be located on the corner of Legion and Second streets. The front of the building is marble, with brick sides with marble trim. Six partial columns extend across the front, spaced between windows/center door, and light posts are on either side of the door on short columns. The lobby floor was marble. Two murals were installed in the building, in 1938, painted by F....

The Clarksville High School received a 1935 addition to the building, funded by PWA, city, and Board of Education. PWA funded $14,000 of the total cost of $50,525. State PWA engineer was Thomas H. Allen, and Katterjohn was the low-bid contractor with 100 days to complete the project. The addition included a new gymnasium, four new classrooms, new library, enlargement of study halls, and renovation of old library to a commercial department and old gymnasium to a cafeteria. Architect was Clarence Speight. In addition, CCC enrollees attended adult education provided by WPA in the school, and E. R. Lingerfelt, state...

Artist F. Luis Mora painted "Arrival of the Renfro Family" and "Abundance of Today" in 1938 for what was then the Clarksville post office (now Federal Building). The two murals were placed in the lobby January 20, 1938 by the New York artist, assisted by Harry E. Brastead of the Southwest Decorating Company, Wichita, Kansas. Mora painted the murals in 4 months, and they were 12 feet by 5 feet each. Mora attributed the idea for the murals to reading the historical pageant of Clarksville, "Through the Mist of the Years" written by Rev. Arthur E. Whittle. One of the...