Washington D.C. Sites

The northern L-shape wing of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) building, at Pennsylvania Avenue and 10th Street NW, was constructed in 1934-1935.   The existing IRS building (square and containing four court yards) had been built in 1930, as part of the push to develop the Federal Triangle. According to the General Services Administration, "The second phase of building construction took place between 1934 and 1937 in response to repeal of the 18th Amendment (Prohibition) which dramatically increased the workload of the Division of Distilled Spirits." The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided the funding of $2,300,000 and construction was overseen by the Treasury Department...

In 1933, the Washington Post reported that $15,905 had been allotted to the Public Works Administration (PWA) for unspecified repairs to the Internal Revenue Service building, which had been completed in 1930.   The IRS building is part of the Federal Triangle area, a group of government buildings between Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues, all built along neoclassical lines in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

The Alley Dwelling Authority (ADA) and the United States Housing Authority (USHA) funded the construction of the James Creek Dwellings in Washington, DC between 1941 and 1943. The ADA was one of the earliest New Deal initiatives to provide better housing for low-income Americans. It replaced unsafe alley dwellings in Washington, DC with more modern and affordable houses and apartments. The ADA existed from 1934-1943 as a federally controlled special authority. It then slowly evolved into today’s DC Housing Authority, an independent agency of the DC Government. Beginning in December 1941, the ADA was ordered to prioritize housing for war workers. James Creek...

The Civil Works Administration and the Federal Emergency Relief Administration funded improvements at the Janney Playground in Washington DC. The work consisted of building one or more new shelters.

In October 1942, the Washington Post reported the allocation of $19,627 to the Federal Works Agency (FWA) for new construction and improvements at the Jefferson Recreation Center adjacent to Jefferson Middle School in the city's southwest quadrant.  In a previous article in July 1942, the paper reported the allocation of five acres for a Southwest Sports Area at the same site, which must have become the Jefferson Recreation Center.  The site is now called simply "Jefferson Field".  Jefferson Field includes a baseball diamond, soccer field and tennis courts, plus what appears to be the original field house (with a modern ramp).  The Jefferson...

The Alley Dwelling Authority (ADA) funded the construction of Jefferson Terrace in Washington, DC between 1937 and 1938. Jefferson Terrace consisted of 16 homes. Jefferson Terrace was described as being in the square bounded by I, K, 6th, and 7th streets southwest. However, it appears that square no longer exists, with K Street SW perhaps being shortened at some point to make room for a newly developed area bounded by I Street, Maine Avenue, and 6th & 7th streets. Additionally, the DC Housing Authority does not list Jefferson Terrace as one of their currently-managed properties, and Google satellite imagery does not show...

The John Philip Sousa Bridge carries Pennsylvania Avenue across the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C.  It was built in 1939-40 during the New Deal and named after the famous American marching band composer, who grew up nearby. Agitation for a new bridge began in earnest in 1934 but met continuing opposition in Congress throughout the decade (DC government is officially a creature of the federal government).  Funds for a new bridge finally won approval in 1938 and were included as part of the District of Columbia Commissioners allocation in the federal budget of that year. The first span opened in late 1939 and...

The present Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling is the site of the former Anacostia US Naval Air Station and the former Bolling Air Field, both founded in 1918.  Bolling Field was absorbed into the Naval Air Station in the 1940s and a new Bolling Air Force Base constructed just to the south in 1948.  Those facilities were merged again in 2010, and the joint base is currently home to several functions, including a naval facility, a large heliport and a Secret Service base.   From 1933 to 1942, New Deal agencies were busy at the two older facilities, making improvements of various kinds....

The present Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling is the site of the former Anacostia US Naval Air Station and the former Bolling Air Field, both founded in 1918.  Bolling Field was absorbed into the Naval Air Station in the 1940s and a new Bolling Air Force Base constructed just to the south in 1948.  Those facilities were merged again in 2010, and the joint base is currently home to several functions, including a naval facility, a large heliport and a Secret Service base.   New Deal agencies were busy at the two older facilities, making improvements of various kinds.  In 1933-34, the Public...

The present Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling is the site of the former Anacostia US Naval Air Station and the former Bolling Air Field, both founded in 1918.  Bolling Field was absorbed into the Naval Air Station in the 1940s and a new Bolling Air Force Base constructed just to the south in 1948.  Those facilities were merged again in 2010, and the joint base is currently home to several functions, including a naval facility, a large heliport and a Secret Service base.   From 1933 to 1942, New Deal agencies were busy at the two older facilities, making improvements of various kinds....

In 1938-1939, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) installed a new Water Main on K Street, between 27th and 29th Streets NW.  The Annual Report of the DC government provide details:  “A 24-inch steel main, totaling 530 linear feet in K Street between Twenty-seventh and Twenty-ninth Streets NW. This main, under taken as a W. P. A. project, is an extension of the Washington Circle contract, and is a major link in the work necessary to change the 30-inch main in M Street from gravity to first high service.”  The main may still be in place, but would be invisible to everyone but the...

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) made improvements to a segment of Kalmia Road NW,  from Eastern Avenue to Georgia Avenue. This dirt road was given an improved surface: “Old material from replacement jobs is hauled to the , broken by hand, and then rolled. After rolling, the pavement is treated with a bituminous material.” Note: The DC Government annual report credits this work to the Public Works Administration (PWA), but based on previous reports of similar work, and particular wording used, for example, “Public Administration forces,” we believe that this project was more likely carried out by the Work Division of...

The Alley Dwelling Authority (ADA) and the United States Housing Authority (USHA) funded the construction of the Kelly Miller Dwellings in Washington, DC between 1940 and 1941. The ADA was one of the earliest New Deal initiatives to provide better housing for low-income Americans. It replaced unsafe alley dwellings in Washington, DC with more modern and affordable houses and apartments. The ADA existed from 1934-1943 as a federally controlled special authority. It then slowly evolved into today’s DC Housing Authority, an independent agency of the DC Government.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) made improvements to Kendall Avenue NE., from New York Avenue to Oakie Street, serving as a bypass to West Virginia Avenue. The WPA improved this road with recycled material and the “laying of a thin blanket of bituminous material.”  

In 1935-36, Works Progress Administration (WPA) widened and improved the segment of Kenilworth Avenue NE between Benning Road and the District line, roughly a mile and a half in length. The DC government's 1936 fiscal year report says: “The paving of Kenilworth Avenue NE, from Benning Road to District of Columbia line, was completed during the year. This project was one of the outstanding jobs in the northeastern section of the city. The old roadway was narrow and had reached the point where economical repairs were impossible. The railway tracks were removed from their old location and have been placed in...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. John Ballator created a tempera on canvas mural, "Contemporary Justice and Man," for the Justice Department in 1936-37. "The artist’s composition suggests an ascending scale of values, with an ideally planned community (Greenbelt, Maryland) at the top. While some...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. George Biddle painted a five-panel fresco mural, "Society Freed through Justice," in 1936.  The second panel was restored c. 1973, after damage to the wall behind it. "This five-panel mural illustrates the importance of justice in the lives of...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building's murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. Emil Bisttram painted an oil on canvas mural, "Contemporary Justice and Woman" (1939). "This intricate oil-on-canvas mural shows a figure of Justice cutting the chains of tradition, which is represented by an old crouching shrew that had bound women....

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. Louis Bouché painted a large oil on canvas mural, "Activities of the Department of Justice" in 1937.   This is the only artwork at the Department of Justice paid for by the Treasury Relief Art Project (TRAP) rather than...

The Department of Justice Building is part of the Federal Triangle, first proposed by the McMillan Commission in its 1901 report on planning Washington DC. The Federal Triangle is a 70-acre area east of the White House, between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues.  The plan called for replacing a 19th century residential and commercial area with monumental buildings in the Beaux Arts style of the early 20th century.   The Federal Triangle plan finally moved forward under the 1926 Public Buildings Act, directed by the Treasury Department (which handled federal buildings until superseded by the Federal Works Agency in 1939 and General...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. John Steuart Curry provided two oil on canvas lunettes, "Movement of the Population Westward" and "Law Versus Mob Rule, " in 1937.  Curry was key artist in the Regionalist movement of the time. "'Movement Westward' captures the hardships faced...

While the overall  design of the Department of Justice building conforms with the dominant Neoclassical theme of the Federal Triangle, it is distinguished by Art Deco architectural elements and the use of aluminum details.  The entrances feature 20-foot-high aluminum doors and interior stair railings, grilles, and trim are done in cast aluminum. Sculptor C. Paul Jennewein was selected by the architects  to create a unified design concept for the building's exterior and interior spaces, designing 57 sculptural elements from monument statues and bas-reliefs on the exterior to interior Art Deco torcheres and light fixtures.  (GSA) The dating of Jennewein's work is uncertain,...

In addition to his overall design work on the sculptural elements of the Department of Justice, C. Paul Jennewein designed six free-standing statues in the interior of the building. One group of four is called "Water," "Earth," "Fire," and "Air".  The carving of the statues in Alabama Limestone was done by Roger Morigi c. 1934-36, with support from the Treasury Section of Fine Arts.  The Jennewein/Morigi statues stand in the south central elevator lobby on the fifth floor of the Justice Department. Two others are known as "The Great Hall Statues: The Spirit of Justice and The Majesty of Law".  They are 12.5'...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost. Leon Kroll painted two very large lunettes, "Justice Triumphant" and "Justice Defeated", in 1936. "In Justice Triumphant, two figures symbolize justice: a woman, and a black-robed Judge who is portrayed by Justice Harlan Stone. Justice Defeated represents the tragedy and havoc caused by the absence of justice. The atmosphere is dark, with dead trees, a threatening sky, and a barren...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. Henry Varnum Poor painted a complex, 12-panel fresco mural, "Justice Department Bureaus and Divisions," in 1936. The first set of panels around the doorways of rooms 5111 and 5114 depict the ac­tivities of the Bureau of Prisons and the...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. Symeon Shimin painted the mural "Contemporary Justice and the Child" in 1940.  It was restored at one point after moisture in the wall damaged the tempura-on-canvas painting.  "This intricate mural portrays two groups: on the left, the faces of...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1935 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost. From 1935 t0 1941, Maurice Sterne painted a monumental series of 20 mural panels for the Library's two-story Reading Room, called "Man's Struggle for Justice".   At the two ends of the room are triptyches entitled, "Attributes of Justice" and "Continuity of the Law".  Along the sides are two rows of panels (7 on each side, it appears):   "Brute...

The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.  The building’s murals depict scenes of daily life from American history and allegories on the role of justice in American society. Boardman Robinson painted an enormous set of 18 tempera murals "Great Events and Figures of Law" in 1938, covering roughly 1000 square feet of canvas. The murals surround the stairway leading to The Great Hall on the 2d...

In 1942, the Washington Post reported four acres allocated by the Federal Works Agency (FWA) for a play field at Fort Dupont Park (now Fort Circle Park). This is likely the present site of Kimball Playground baseball fields. It is unknown if any work remains from the New Deal era.

The Klingle Valley Divorcement Sewer, over two miles long, was constructed in 1938-39 with a Public Works Administration (PWA) grant.  The location is not exact in the newspaper report, but it appears to run down Wisconsin avenue from Van Ness street to the Washington Cathedral and laterally along Klingle Road (and other smaller streets) to Rock Creek near the National Zoo (Evening Star, 1938). The Evening Star described the project in great detail in July 17, 1939: “This sewer for which allotment of $96,855 was made, serves the Cleveland Park area. Formerly a combined sewer system served the area and during...

The United States Housing Authority (USHA) funded the construction of Knox Hill Dwellings in Washington, DC in 1942. The Alley Dwelling Authority (ADA) acted as manager of the development. It is unknown to the Living New Deal if any of the original structures still exist. There appear to be many homes in the vicinity of Knox Terrace SE, and these may have some relation to the original Knox Hill Dwellings. Nearby, the DC Housing Authority manages “Knox Hill,” a housing development for seniors and disabled residents, but this facility looks quite different from the original structures. The USHA was created by the United...

The Lafayette Building was the home of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC), an important funding agency created by Herbert Hoover in 1932 and then greatly expanded by Franklin Roosevelt during the New Deal years.  The RFC held an important financial role in America all the way through World War II The Lafayette Building was built in 1939-1940 with private funding, through a newly-created Lafayette Building Corporation (LBC). However, the RFC “was directly involved in planning the building that would be their headquarters… The RFC Mortgage Company purchased the Lafayette Building Corporation's outstanding stock on April 16, 1941, and a month...

Lafayette Park, also known as Lafayette Square, is a seven-acre public park directly north of the White House on H Street, bounded by Jackson Place on the west, Madison Place on the east, and Pennsylvania Avenue. The park was established in the 19th century and remained largely unchanged from 1872 until the 1930s. New Deal work on the park as part of a larger Capital Parks improvement program undertaken by the Public Works Administration (PWA), Civil Work Adminstration (CWA), Works Progress Administration (WPA), and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), all working under the supervision of the National Park Service, which had been...

 During the 1930s, Langdon Park was upgraded as part of a larger Capital Parks improvement program undertaken by the Public Works Administration (PWA), Civil Work Adminstration (CWA), Works Progress Administration (WPA), and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). A Washington Daily News article from 1936 described New Deal work in the park: "Wading pool built; new walks, picnic groves and parking area completed." In this case, the improvements were most likely done by the WPA, which was at work on a million-dollar program of parks renovation in 1935-36.  Langdon Park today contains a swimming pool and pool building, basketball courts, tennis courts and as...

In 1942, the Washington Post reported the approval of $16,500 in funding for the Federal Works Agency (FWA) to build and/or make improvements to the Langston Recreation Center (now the Langston Playground) in Anacostia Park, next to the Langston Golf Course. It is known if the present football field, basketball courts and other improvements at the site are left from the New Deal era.

Langston Terrace Dwellings, opened in 1938, was the first U.S. Government-funded public housing project in Washington and the second in the nation.  Initial funding came from the Public Works Administration (PWA); later the U.S. Housing Authority stepped in to complete the job. The International Style complex was designed by African-American architect Hilyard Robinson, a native Washingtonian. It embodies Robinson's belief in the ability of fine buildings and art to inspire and uplift residents. Langston Terrace is well known for its artworks.   Five large animal sculptures by Hugh Collins, Lenore Thomas and Joe Goethe double as climbing structures in the children's playground. The Washington...

The Alley Dwelling Authority (ADA) funded the construction of a community building for the Langston Terrace Dwellings and surrounding area, ca. 1935-1940. The ADA was one of the earliest New Deal initiatives to provide better housing for low-income Americans. It replaced unsafe alley dwellings in Washington, DC with more modern and affordable houses and apartments. The ADA existed from 1934-1943 as a federally controlled special authority. It then slowly evolved into today’s DC Housing Authority, an independent agency of the DC Government. The Langston Terrace Dwellings Community Building was part of the New Deal’s overall effort to provide more community and recreation...

The Langston Terrace Dwellings, a large-scale public housing project, was built under the New Deal from 1935 to 1938.  It was the first U.S. Government-funded public housing project in Washington DC and only the second in the nation.  Initial funding came from the Public Works Administration (PWA); later the U.S. Housing Authority stepped in to complete the job. The International Style complex was designed by prominent African-American architect Hilyard Robinson, a native Washingtonian. With its handsome art and style, it embodied Robinson's belief in the ability of fine buildings and art to inspire and uplift residents. Construction began in 1935, with African...

Langston Terrace Dwellings, opened in 1938, was the first U.S. Government funded public housing project in Washington and the second in the nation.  Initial funding came from the Public Works Administration (PWA); later the U.S. Housing Authority stepped in to complete the job. The International Style complex was designed by African American architect Hilyard Robinson, a native Washingtonian. It embodies Robinson's belief in the ability of fine buildings and art to inspire and uplift residents. Langston Terrace is enhanced by its artworks. Daniel Olney's terra-cotta frieze, "The Progress of the Negro Race",  lines the central courtyard and chronicles African American history from enslavement...

The Lauzun’s Legion Bridge – formerly the P Street Bridge – spans both Rock Creek and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway at P Street.  It was a critical piece in the completion of the parkway, which was impeded by an earlier bridge at this site.   Funding was provided by the Public Works Administration (PWA) in 1934 (Evening Star 1934).  Construction took place in 1935-36 and the bridge was dedicated in July 1935.   The parkway could not be finished, however, until a lower level bridge just to the north carrying the road across the creek was finished a year later....