The Western Construction News reports of REA work in rural Washington state. “The REA has alloted $45,000 to the Benton Rural Electrification Association, Benton City Washington, for construction of 43 miles of transmission lines in Benton County Washington.” “The Benton… read more
The Western Construction News reported of REA work in Washington State. “The REA has alloted $88,000 to the Cowlitz County Public Utility District No. 1, Kalama Wash., to finance construction of 81 miles of electric transmission lines.” ” Cowlitz County… read more
“With support from the local communities and the state, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed a museum at the park in 1938. The Sacajawea Museum was built to display Native American artifacts from the tribes of the Columbia Plateau. The… read more
WA.gov: “Saltwater State Park is a camping park featuring 1,445 feet of saltwater shoreline on Puget Sound, halfway between the cities of Tacoma and Seattle. The two cities jointly and literally buried a hatchet at the park during the 1926… read more
A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 announced that “45 unemployed will be put to work on a flood control project in the Salzer Creek Valley, Lewis County, under a $10,965 [WPA] allotment.” The aim of the project was to… read more
“The city of Yakima has added $4,076 to the WPA grant of $16,986 for the construction of sanitary sewers and manholes.”
The federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds provided funding for the construction of the Art Deco-accented bridge carrying SW Admiral Way above Schmitz Park. Construction occurred between 1936 and 1937. The PWA provided a grant of $68,200; the total cost… read more
“Rehabilitation of the athletic field and school grounds at Washougal is also expected to begin on December 4 [1937]. The work will consist of grading the field, building a tennis court, cinder track, bleachers and sidewalks. The cost will be… read more
A WPA press release from Jan. 1938 reported: “The preparation of hot school lunches for undernourished school children in Walla Walla county will be continued … with an allotment of $2,640.”
“This major attraction at Camp Long was designed by Clark Schurman. His dream was to build a human-made mountain incorporating every potential rock climbing problem into its design. After taking a winter to make a clay model of the rock,… read more
As one of many WPA and PWA projects in Washington state: “$307,750 was allocated to build parks in rapidly developing areas in Seattle. The parks were constructed between August of 1938 and December of 1939.”
The Civil Works Administration (WPA) constructed a log cabin at Seward Park in 1934.
“Federal approval of Tacoma’s city-wide WPA sewer improvement project providing employment for more than 560 men, was announced today [Nov. 12, 1937] by Don G. Abel, state WPA director. The WPA allotment accounts to $95,776 to which the city of… read more
A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 announced that “East Wenatchee will receive $19,390” in WPA funds “for a sanitary sewer system …”
A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 announced that “White Salmon, Klickitat County, was granted $7,683 for the reconstruction of their water supply system.”
“Vashon Island receive[d] $8087.24 [in WPA aid] to construct sidewalks along various public thoroughfares.”
This 1938 Section of Fine Arts oil-on-canvas mural “Local Pursuits” by Ambrose Patterson was painted for the then Mount Vernon post office. The building (and mural) are now part of Skagit Valley College’s Business Resource Center. “Born in Australia, Patterson… read more
“In 1937 WPA funds were granted to Snohomish County Airport. $225,000 was granted by the War Department who oversaw all airport construction and renovation between 1933 and 1938.”
“In Snohomish County, farm land conditions will be improved by a drainage system affecting seven sections of land between the cities of Snohomish and Monroe. Cooperating with the State of Washington, sponsoring the project, WPA will invest $14,989, according to… read more
One of a number of PWA and WPA projects in Washington state: “Work began in December of 1938 and at a cost of $2,011,788 included clearing, straightening, widening, draining, excavating, cutting and installing drainage ditches.”
A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 reported that “the Retsil Soldier’s Home receive[d] $6,040″ in WPA funds for grounds and landscaping improvement work.” Multiple similar projects were undertaken at the site. The facility is now known as the Washington… read more
In 1939 and 1940, WPA workers made several improvements to the South Seattle Playground, beginning with the demolition of the four-story former South Seattle School building, which had closed in 1932 but remained on the site. Much of the brick… read more
Previously known as Sunset Field, the property was renamed Geiger Field in 1941 and eventually became the Spokane International Airport. After the city leased the area to the military in 1939, the WPA and the army jointly cleared and leveled… read more
The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (F.E.R.A.) worked to improve Seattle’s former Spokane Street Bridge ca. 1933-4. The bridge has since been replaced.
A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 reported: “Word of $25,081 for WPA construction work in Yakima County was received today from the office of Don G. Abel, State Administrator, with the employment of 123 men from WPA rolls on… read more
A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 reported: “The largest project scheduled to begin next week [in Washington State] is the Bellingham street improvement work with W.P.A. aid totaling $63,348.”
A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 reported that “a street and alley project gets underway at Blaine with $25.756 from W.P.A.”
“A city-wide WPA street construction and paving project 1s scheduled to get under way at Enumclaw, Monday, November 8 [1937], with the aid of $12,160 in WPA funds and labor from the relief rolls, Don G. Abel, state Works Progress… read more
A WPA press release from Jan. 1938 reported that city streets in Everett, Washington were to be improved with a WPA grant of $38,024.
A WPA press release from Jan. 1938 reported that city streets in Medical Lake, Washington were to be improved with a WPA grant of $10,309.
A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 reported that “Pe Ell started a street project with $6,880 from W.P.A. funds.”
A WPA press release from Jan. 1938 reported that city streets in Shelton, Washington were to be improved with a WPA grant of $9,493.
One WPA project involved “considerable work to be done in Tacoma on Tacoma Avenue and Cleveland and Hendricks streets,” a project which was “allotted $41,892 of WPA funds and will provide employment fer about 179 men to be taken from… read more
A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 reported that a road project on Whidbey Island received $23,002 in WPA funds.
The extension of Wapato’s street lighting system was a federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the late 1930s.
A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 states: “An Auburn street paving project begins this week, giving 175 men jobs for nine months with a W.P.A. allotment of $93.509.”
The carving of the Swinomish Totem Pole was a WPA project on the Swinomish Indian Reservation from 1937-1938. Tribal member Charlie Edwards carved a 61’ log into a visual representation of traditional teachings and guiding spirits that had formerly been… read more
One of many PWA and WPA projects in Washington state: “$314,768 was allocated for the replacement and repairing of 11 bridges in Tacoma/ Pierce County. All of the bridges were either already shut down or were scheduled to be shut… read more
“The bridge connects Tacoma to areas such as Gig Harbor on the Kitsap Peninsula. Funded by the Public Works Administration (PWA), it was 2,800 feet between the two the two towers. “Everyone marveled, at the gossamer of a structure so… read more
