Texas Sites

Text of the state historical marker reads: "In 1934, the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) built an auditorium on the original Locke Hill school grounds. Federal workers constructed the limestone building out of stone from a nearby quarry. Built to address the county superintendent’s call for school improvements, the auditorium served as a central community space. Following post-war growth, the school’s infrastructure no longer met increased student needs. In 1976, the Locke Hill School was rebuilt less than one mile away to accommodate more students and to meet new building standards. The historic auditorium exists as a longstanding testament to San...

Lockhart State Park is located at the southwestern edge of Lockhart, Texas and is administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The park consists of 263.7 acres of land that was purchased by the State of Texas on December 14, 1934. The park was constructed by Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Company 3803 between 1935 and 1938. The park was leased to a local country club until 1948 and then opened to the public as a state park. The CCC built the park residence, the combination building, Park Road 10, a stone arch bridge, a swimming pool, a concrete water storage...

The hewn-limestone school in Lometa, Texas consists of two wings and a central gymnasium. It was the first school building in Lometa to have indoor plumbing. The Works Projects Administration did most of the work and the Public Works Administration provided partial funding under docket W1950.

"The park is named for Longhorn Cavern, a limestone cave formed by the cutting action of an underground river that receded thousands of years ago. Before the cave became a tourist attraction, it was used over the years by Indians, Confederate soldiers and outlaws, including outlaw Sam Bass. From 1934 to 1942, Company 854 of the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed residences, pavilions and an observation tower in the National Park Service Rustic architectural style. They also explored and developed the cavern and built walkways."   (wikipedia) A Recorded Texas Historic Landmark erected in front of the administration building in 1989 reads: "Longhorn Cavern opened...

The Houston Independent School District and the Public Works Administration (PWA) erected the Adele Looscan Elementary School in 1936 under PWA project number TEX-1057R. Looscan is still an active elementary school for the Houston ISD.

Love's Lookout Park, north of Jacksonville, Texas in north Cherokee County, was developed by the WPA. After John Wesley Love's death, his "family gave 22.22 acres, including the lookout site, to the state for a park. The city of Jacksonville bought 25 adjoining acres and developed both tracts as a WPA project."

This concrete bridge bears the faint stamp "NYA 1939". It crosses the San Antonio River at E. Woodlawn and River Avenue in Brackenridge Park. It was closed to traffic many years ago, but still serves as a crossing for pedestrians and fishermen.

A marker erected in 1998 describes the CCC's role in developing Loy Park and Loy Lake: "Grayson County officials became aware of a growing need for a public recreation facility for the area's approximately 65,500 residents in 1930. Three years later the federal government agreed to create a small lake on land provided by the county. The county commissioners court purchased a site 2.5 miles southwest of Denison in October 1933 and secured the services of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a federal public works program, to construct the dam and build a recreational park. In early November, 200 men from...

"In the heart of the Great Depression, five small rural elementary schools were consolidated into Cooper Rural High School, District 1, to give more rural students a chance for a high school education. ... The New Deal era was an opportune time for school districts to build schools. The Cooper Rural High School building, which was opened in 1938, cost either $83,000 or $84,000, depending on the source you use, but the bond costs to taxpayers was about $40,000. The rest of the money was paid by a federal Public Works Administration grant." The status of the original structure within what is now...

Mackenzie State Recreation Area, commonly referred to as Mackenzie Park, is located in the northeast portion of Lubbock. The park was first built in 1921, and included a pool and a golf course. During the Depression city leaders desired to expand the park and a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp was established that constructed roads, bridges, recreation facilities, and landscaping. The majority of CCC buildings no longer exist, but the landscaping and improvements still remain. The park currently has a golf course, swimming pool, recreation building, camping and picnicking facilities, a small amusement park, and a prairie dog town. The small...

This grand post office takes up almost an entire city block. It was constructed in 1931 under the Treasury Department's supervising architect James A. Wetmore, prior to the advent of the New Deal. The post office contains six New Deal murals funded by the PWAP in 1934. The artists are W. H. Baker and Dwight Holmes. There are three paintings on each of the east and west walls of the office. The middle panels are approximately 4 feet by 9 feet. The outer panels are approximately 3 feet 6 inches by 4 feet. It is not clear which paintings were...

The state historical marker erected at this site describes the still standing arched entryway to the now demolished Majors Stadium as having been built by the Works Progress Administration in 1940.

The old section of Malakoff Elementary School, locally referred to as the “Rock Building” or the “Old Rock School,” was constructed of brown fieldstone in 1940 as part of the federal Works Projects Administration (WPA).

"Mansfield Dam (formerly Marshall Ford Dam) is a dam located across a canyon at Marshall Ford on the Colorado River, 13 miles (21 km) northwest of Austin, Texas. The groundbreaking ceremony occurred on February 19, 1937 with United States Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes attending. The dam was a joint project by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and the United States Bureau of Reclamation, with the company Brown and Root the prime contractor. The dam was completed in 1941. Originally called Marshall Ford Dam, the name was changed in 1941 in honor of United States Representative J.J. Mansfield."...

The National Youth Administration built the Marion County Roadside Park near Jefferson, Texas between 1935 and 1938. The park serves the same function as of 2019. A state historical marker at the site reads: "This roadside park was constructed by the National Youth Administration (NYA) with the support of President Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Development began in 1935, after the Mary Louise Hussey family conveyed the land upon which the park would be located. Following its completion in 1938, the park provided residents and travelers a pleasant venue for resting and picnicking. The park eventually fell in...

The University of North Texas's Marquis Hall was constructed with federal Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) funds. "As North Texas grew boarding houses were no longer adequate to accommodate the student population. Parents often requested a dormitory for women so they would not need to place their daughters in private homes. The first dormitory, Marquis Hall, was built with PWA funds in 1936. It was built to house 100 women and was located between Mulberry and Sycamore streets, near Avenue B. Plans for the dorm were started the year Dr. W. J. McConnell became president.  Unfortunately, President Marquis died soon after the...

Laredo, Texas's historic Martin High School was constructed as a federal Public Works Administration (PWA) project during the Great Depression. The building is still in use today. The PWA supplied a $250,000 loan and $101,853 grant toward the $352,283 total cost of the project. Work occurred between August 1935 and April 1937. (PWA Docket No. TX 5725)

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed concrete sidewalks around the "1937 Martin High School L-shaped building on Park and San Bernardo" in Laredo, Texas. The status of the sidewalks is currently unknown to Living New Deal.

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) put more than 100 men to work developing Mary E. Lee Park (sometimes called Lake Nasworthy Park) in San Angelo. Work included tree planting.

On October 31, 1935, the City of Austin accepted a grant from the Public Works Administration not to exceed $286,363 to cover 45% of the costs of building new schools, and making additions and repairs to existing schools. The voters of Austin also passed a $350,000 bond package to cover the city’s share of the costs. Mathews Elementary School, built in 1916, was one of the schools that received repairs under the package. The renovations designed by Giesecke and Harris included a new roof and painting the exterior of the building. The Texas Historical Commission designated the school a Recorded Texas...

Max Starcke Park is a 227 acre park located along the Guadalupe River. It is the main municipal park in Seguin. The land was a pecan orchard prior to the park's dedication in 1938. The park was designed by Robert H.H. Hugman and built by the Works Progress Administration and National Youth Administration in 1937 and 1938. It was named for Maximilian (Max) Hugo Starcke who served as an alderman in Seguin from 1909 to 1912 and as mayor from 1928 to 1938.

The town of Maydell "...developed on the rail line that ran between Rusk and Palestine, and in 1933 a forest conservation camp under the auspices of the Federal Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was established here. The camp was closed in 1937, but the benefits of its programs are still evident in the I. D. Fairchild State Forest, now a wildlife sanctuary."   (https://atlas.thc.state.tx.us)

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) carried out improvements at the Maypearl Intermediate School in Maypearl TX. Except from Waxahachie Daily Light dated 4/17/1941: "The project covering improvements at the Maypearl School reopened April 11 after having been suspended since Oct. 1940 waiting for delivery of materials. The Maypearl School improvement project is set for a total expenditure of $74,396.40, the Federal Government to furnish $51,395, and the sponsor, the Maypearl Independent School District, to furnish $23,000. This project will employ an average of 42 workers for approximately another month at which time it is expected the new building and all ground improvements will be...

This building was originally known as W. P. McLean Junior High when it opened in 1936. It was designed by Fort Worth architect Wiley G. Clarkson and built by James T. Taylor with financing through the Public Works Administration (PWA). The one- and two-story Mediterranean Revival design included Art Deco motifs. Fort Worth's tremendous growth in the post-World War II years resulted in the school beginning transformed to R. L. Paschal Senior High School  in 1955. The 1930s school has been greatly obscured by successive additions to the high school.

The Works Progress Administration renovated the Medina County Courthouse between 1938-1940. Excerpt from the historical market installed at the Medina County Courthouse: "Between 1939 and 1942, changes to the courthouse were made, including the addition of two two-story wings. Stone for the new wings was secured again from limestone deposits on the Decker Ranch. The classical revival courthouse exhibits some influences of the Italianate style. Prominent features include the rusticated stone walls, classical portico over the entryway, a broken triangular pediment, and stone hood molds.

The State of Texas allocated $50,000 for the construction of the Goliad Memorial Auditorium and the United States government allocated $20,000. The Works Progress Administration added $5,000 to build sidewalks, parking areas, and roads and to grade and fill the athletic field and provide floors under the stadium for a clubroom. The building has an auditorium with a large stage, a lobby designed to serve as a museum area, and exterior stadium seating for 1200 spanning the east elevation. Architects Raiford L. Stripling and Samuel C.P. Vosper designed the auditorium with a flat roof, high octagonal window openings, and sculptural embellishments...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) contributed to the development Memorial Park. "At the close of the war, when the camp was abandoned, part of the site was acquired by the Hogg brothers, who, in 1924, turned 1,000 acres over to the City at cost. Later, an additional 503 acres were obtained. Hare and Hare, Kansas City landscape architects, planned the improvement work which was carried out during the succeeding years, first as a local, then as a State relief project, and finally under the supervision of the Work Projects Administration."

Among the Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects identified as completed in an El Paso Times article from June 7, 1936 was "Memorial Park grading and landscaping, $21,609."

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) completed work at the Menard Elementary School in Menard. At the site, there are two WPA markers that contain the same information—"Works Progress Administration 1938-1940." One of the structures is a school building and the other is a gymnasium; one plaque resides by the entrance to each. There has been extensive modernization to the entrances and they now have a new metal roof. A rock wall surrounds the perimeter of the property, but there is no WPA marker on the wall.

In 1934, the Public Works Administration (PWA) approved a loan of $4.2 million for a school building program in Fort Worth. Rufino Mendoza Elementary School (then called Denver Avenue Elementary School), built in 1910, received a new auditorium wing between 1935 and 1936. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) under the direction of Hare and Hare of Kansas City landscaped the school grounds from 1935 to 1937.

Meridian State Park is located along the 98th meridian on the edge of a natural transition zone between prairie and hill country. The land was acquired from private owners between 1933 and 1935 and the 505.4-acre park opened to the public in 1935. The park is currently administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Meridian State Park was developed by Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Company 1827(V), comprised of World War I veterans. The CCC developed the park using local limestone and timber, primarily oak and cedar. The CCC built the entrance portal, roads, vehicle bridges, culverts, the concession building, which...

Multiple websites report an unusual WPA project that took place in rural Texas: "Archeological digs employed WPA labor, including excavation at the site of the Odessa meteor crater in Ector County, Texas." (Marist) "nterest swelled after a theory was put forth that the meteor responsible for the impact was more than 500 feet wide and was very likely buried beneath the surface. In 1939, the state, the county, the University of Texas and the Works Progress Administration combined forces to locate the specimen." (Weird U.S.) "To explore the Odessa meteor crater, WPA crews constructed an 8' by 12' wooden lined shaft 165 feet...

Under project number 665-66-2-153, the Works Progress Administration (renamed the Works Projects Administration by the time the project finished) built a new school in Milano, Texas between 1938 and 1940. The school had eleven classrooms and a combination auditorium and gymnasium. Per the Austin American Statesman: "Milam county received a WPA allotment of $43,098, and will match it with $38,578, employing 100 workers, to construct a new school building at Milano with 12 classrooms and gymnasium."

"The W.P.A. undertook construction of recreation buildings in Emancipation Park and Milby Park."

The Works Project Administration built a school in Milford, Texas in 1940. The official project number was 65-1-66-186. The school had twelve classrooms and a combination auditorium and gymnasium. The school is still in use.

The park, formerly City Park, was constructed, including clearing grounds, building bridges, sidewalks, tables, benches entrance, water and lights. An entrance was erected, croquet courts and other conveniences and attractions were built throughout the park. The creek was also walled. City park costs were $8,921 and employed 22 men initially, and a total of 32 men for six months. The work included cleaning and preparing the site and erecting culverts over the creek. Additional city park improvements were made for $4,273, hired 34 workers, and was financed by the Works Progress Administration in 1936. The park is still extant and...

The Public Works Administration funded the construction of the Milroy Park Club House, which serves as a community center in Houston TX. 

The post office in Mineola was built in 1936 under the Public Works Administration (PWA) program and was designed by architects at the U.S. Treasury Department. It continued to be used as a post office until 1998. It is now the Mineola Historical Museum.

This building was originally the post office, but then was repurposed as the Mineola Historical Museum. The oil-on-canvas mural by Bernard Zakheim, entitled "New and Old Methods of Transportation," was funded by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. From Art Daily, on the occasion of the announcement of its restoration: During the Great Depression, jobs were scarce and rural inhabitants were struggling to come to terms with the explosion of new industries and new forms of transportation. Mineola residents, who at the time were mostly farmers, were trying to catch up with their country, which was rapidly changing from being an agricultural...

The Mission Historical Museum was constructed as the city's post office in 1940. The building houses an example of New Deal artwork.