📖 How the WPA Rebuilt America: Schools, Courthouses, and Public Buildings of the Great Depression (1938)

📌 This 1938 WPA report details how federal work relief programs built and renovated thousands of schools, courthouses, hospitals, and public buildings. A valuable resource for historians, teachers, and genealogists studying the impact of the New Deal on American infrastructure.

Collage of Public Buildings - Types of Public Structures Erected by WPA: County Building (New Mexico), City Hall (Ohio), Municipal Building (Arizona), Public Library (New Jersey), Hospital (New Mexico), Library (Iowa), Art Gallery (Idaho), Administration Building (Ohio). Inventory: An Appraisal of Results of the Works Progress Administration, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1938. GGA Image ID # 151d66999a

🏛️ "WPA Public Buildings - 1938"

The Transformation of America’s Infrastructure During the Great Depression

📖 The 1938 WPA report on public buildings highlights the tremendous impact of the New Deal on America’s infrastructure. More than 12,000 new public buildings were constructed, while over 36,000 existing structures were renovated—representing one of the largest construction efforts in U.S. history.

This initiative not only provided much-needed employment during the Great Depression but also modernized schools, courthouses, hospitals, libraries, fire stations, and public service buildings, ensuring lasting benefits for future generations.

For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, this report provides a rich source of information on how the federal government’s work relief programs reshaped communities, especially in terms of education, public administration, recreation, and safety.

WPA workers have built 12,212 new public buildings, constructed 1,363 additions to existing buildings, and improved 36,510. More than one-tenth of all WPA money has been spent on public buildings, principally for education, recreation, and a wide variety of public administration purposes.

Public Buildings—11 Percent of Total Program. Inventory: An Appraisal of Results of the Works Progress Administration, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1938. GGA Image ID # 151e1bcbe2

In terms of averages this work amounts to approximately four new buildings constructed and nearly twelve reconditioned for each county in the Nation—though of course more work is carried on in the population centers than in the sparsely settled districts.

New buildings erected by the WPA (on local request and aided by local funds):

• For educational purposes, 1,771 schools and 53 libraries.
• For recreation—184 auditoriums, 752 stadiums or grandstands, 376 gymnasiums, and 2,465 other buildings such as pavilions, bathhouses, and zoo houses.
• Institutional buildings—284, including 86 hospitals and 80 penal institutions.
• For public administration—615 courthouses, city halls, office buildings, etc. Seventy-three aircraft hangars and 132 armories.
• Miscellany—384 dormitories, 129 fire houses, 793 public garages, 630 warehouses, and 3,571 assorted small structures, such as bus and streetcar shelters.

For every public building which the WPA has built, it has improved or enlarged nearly three existing structures. Here a widespread need was met. Maintenance had been badly neglected in many communities throughout the depression because of falling local revenues.

For example, 19,449 school buildings in varying states of disrepair have been restored to safety and usefulness. Rotten joists and floors were replaced, drainage was corrected, and outer walls sealed with cement and sand if necessary, to prevent seepage of water. Upper stories of school buildings injured by vibrations in earthquake areas were removed and the buildings given, for the first time, proper structural bracing.

In other places, leaky roofs were made storm- tight and windows were weather-stripped. Sanitary toilet systems were widely installed and repaired. Heating systems were modernized. Adequate ventilation was provided. Dark classrooms were given better lighting.

Schools were brightened throughout with what was often the first coat of paint they had received in many years. Structural additions of all kinds were built. These included assembly rooms, laboratories, lunchrooms, dormitories and, in rural areas, "teacherages" to provide housing for teachers.

Drainage and landscaping turned muddy schoolyards into usable and attractive play- grounds. Broken sidewalks and crumbling retaining walls were repaired. Much of this work, needful for the health as well as the comfort of pupils and teachers, was many years overdue.

State-endowed colleges and normal schools have shared in the benefits of these improvements along with public primary schools and high schools. Similar improvements have been made in many other types of public building.

In addition to the new construction previously listed the WPA has improved or enlarged: 539 libraries, 258 auditoriums, 296 stadiums and grandstands, 324 gymnasiums, and 2,024 other recreation buildings, such as pavilions and bathhouses. 101 hospitals, 275 penal institutions, and 1,269 other institutional structures.

2,661 city halls, courthouses, and administrative buildings. 997 dormitories, 1,173 fire stations, 527 garages, 845 warehouses, 76 aircraft hangars, 213 armories, and 5,946 small structures. WPA workers also have demolished 6,938 buildings to make way for playgrounds or modern structures, and a large proportion of the salvaged materials have been used on other projects.

Collage of the Types of Public Structures Erected by WPA: State Police Station (Michigan), College Auditorium (California), Museum (Utah), College Building (California), Timberline Lodge (Oregon), High School (California), Armory (North Carolina), County Hospital (Arizona), Courthouse (Ohio). Inventory: An Appraisal of Results of the Works Progress Administration, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1938. GGA Image ID # 151db299b5

ADDENDA

The 50,000 public buildings which the WPA has built, enlarged, or repaired, as detailed above, represent only about one-fourth of the total structures built or im- proved by relief labor during the successive work-relief programs prior to and including WPA.

In all, over 188,000 public buildings have been constructed or repaired under these programs, more than half of which (108,000) were educational buildings. A relatively larger percentage of the earlier programs was devoted to repairs and rehabilitation than to new construction.

"Public Buildings," in Inventory: An Appraisal of Results of the Works Progress Administration, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1938, pp. 21-24.

Why This Document is Important

📜 Relevance for Different Audiences

✔ For Historians & Researchers

🔹 Offers a detailed account of how the WPA invested in community infrastructure.

🔹 Provides key data on how public buildings were prioritized during the Great Depression.

🔹 Documents the evolution of government intervention in public welfare and city planning.

✔ For Genealogists & Family Historians

🔹 Reveals where WPA laborers worked, which may be linked to ancestors involved in these projects.

🔹 Lists public buildings that might have played a role in family history, such as schools, courthouses, and hospitals.

✔ For Teachers & Students

🔹 Perfect case study for understanding the New Deal’s impact on American society.

🔹 Illustrates how federal programs addressed unemployment while improving local infrastructure.

🔹 Can be used to explore long-term urban development and public service expansion.

📌 This document is a crucial piece of history, demonstrating how the New Deal permanently reshaped public spaces in the United States.

🏫 Schools & Libraries: A Legacy of Education Investment

✔ Why This is Fascinating:

1,771 schools and 53 libraries were newly built.

🔹 Over 19,000 school buildings were repaired, addressing critical safety and structural issues.

🔹 Improvements included better ventilation, modernized heating systems, repaired roofs, and sanitary plumbing installations.

🔹 Many schools also received playgrounds, teacher dormitories, and expanded classroom space.

✔ Key Takeaway:

🔹 The WPA ensured that children across America had access to safe and modern school buildings, setting a foundation for better education for decades to come.

📌 This section underscores how the WPA transformed public education infrastructure, making it more accessible and structurally sound.

⚖️ Courthouses, City Halls & Public Administration: Strengthening Local Governance

✔ Why This is Fascinating:

🔹 615 new courthouses, city halls, and office buildings were built.

🔹 2,661 public administration buildings were improved, ensuring functional and modern government operations.

🔹 These projects included fire stations, dormitories, and even police stations to enhance public safety.

✔ Key Takeaway:

🔹 The WPA helped modernize local government infrastructure, ensuring communities had better access to essential services.

📌 This section demonstrates how the WPA’s work enabled more efficient government operations and better public service delivery.

🏥 Hospitals & Institutional Buildings: Advancing Public Health & Safety

✔ Why This is Fascinating:

🔹 86 new hospitals and 101 improved hospitals were built.

🔹 275 penal institutions and 1,269 institutional buildings were modernized, ensuring safer and more humane conditions.

🔹 These improvements expanded healthcare accessibility and improved medical care for local populations.

✔ Key Takeaway:

🔹 The WPA played a critical role in public health, ensuring hospitals were equipped to serve growing communities.

📌 This section highlights how the WPA improved healthcare infrastructure at a time when medical facilities were often underfunded and outdated.

🎭 Auditoriums, Stadiums & Cultural Spaces: Investing in Public Life

✔ Why This is Fascinating:

🔹 752 stadiums, 376 gymnasiums, and 184 auditoriums were built.

🔹 2,465 smaller recreational structures such as pavilions, bathhouses, and zoo facilities were added.

🔹 These projects enhanced community engagement and cultural life.

✔ Key Takeaway:

🔹 The WPA recognized the importance of public recreation and cultural events, ensuring communities had access to performance spaces, sports facilities, and social gathering places.

📌 This section underscores the WPA’s commitment to fostering a rich cultural and recreational environment for all citizens.

🖼 Noteworthy Images & Their Significance

🖼 🏛️ "Collage of Public Buildings Erected by the WPA"

Features city halls, libraries, hospitals, and municipal buildings, showcasing the variety of public infrastructure built.

🖼 📊 "Public Buildings—11 Percent of Total Program"

A clear visualization of the significance of public buildings in the WPA’s overall efforts.

🖼 🏫 "Collage of the Types of Public Structures Erected by WPA"

Highlights high schools, college buildings, museums, and courthouses, demonstrating the scale of educational and civic investment.

📌 These images reinforce the long-term impact of WPA projects, illustrating how they laid the groundwork for modern civic infrastructure.

Bias & Perspective Considerations

✔ Pro-WPA Tone:

The report emphasizes the WPA’s successes but does not discuss challenges, such as over-budget projects, community resistance, or long-term maintenance costs.

✔ Lack of Discussion on Segregation & Access:

The WPA constructed schools, libraries, and hospitals in a segregated America, but the report does not mention disparities in funding or racial inequality in infrastructure projects.

✔ Focus on Local Government Cooperation:

The report assumes all communities welcomed WPA projects, without addressing cases where local governments resisted federal involvement.

📌 While this document is an invaluable record of WPA achievements, researchers should explore additional sources to understand racial and economic disparities in New Deal infrastructure projects.

Final Thoughts: Why This Report Matters

"WPA Public Buildings - 1938" provides a detailed look at one of the most significant infrastructure efforts in U.S. history. It highlights how the WPA not only put Americans back to work but also left a permanent mark on the nation’s civic, educational, and cultural institutions.

For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, this report is an essential resource for understanding the role of federal intervention in public welfare.

🏫🏛️ The schools, courthouses, hospitals, and libraries built under the WPA remain some of its most enduring legacies, proving that government investment in infrastructure has long-term benefits for society. 📚⚖️