Between 1935 and 1943, the Ah-Gwah-Ching (“out of doors” in Ojibwe) sanitarium housed “more the 160 items including prints, watercolors, oils and woodcarvings by such artists as Bob Brown, Henry Bukowski, Reathel Keppen, Dorothea Lau, Alexander Oja and Bennet Swanson,”… read more
St. Paul’s west side “contains two W.P.A. built recreational structures, the Harriet Island Pavilion and the Baker Playground building at 670 S. Waseca Street.”
The WPA constructed several structures at the Como Zoo in the 1930s. From the Como Zoo’s website: “In 1897, the City of Saint Paul fenced-in a pasture in Como Park to hold three deer gifted to them, thus beginning Como… read more
The fort dates back the early nineteenth century, when it was used to “promote and protext the interests of the United States in the region’s fur trade” (historicfortsnelling.org). Between 1938 and 1940, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) performed structural renovation and… read more
Designed by African-American architect Clarence “Cal” Wigington, the Hamline Park Playground building was completed in 1938. The building now houses an art shop and studio.
From the Minnesota Historical Society: “The Clarence W. Wigington Pavilion, formerly known as the Harriet Island Pavilion, is significant in St. Paul’s recreational history as a well-preserved example of the work of Clarence Wesley Wigington, the first black architect hired… read more
Landscape architect Horace Cleveland, known for his leadership in developing the Twin Cities’ park system, set aside the land now known as Hidden Falls Regional Park in 1887. The spring-fed waterfall is indeed “hidden” in a small ravine on the… read more
In 1935-36, the WPA built a pool and bathhouse at Highland Park. The pool has long since been replaced. The stone bathhouse remains, though it is now boarded up.
The Holman Field Administration Building at St. Paul Downtown Airport in St. Paul, Minnesota was constructed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: “The Holman Field Administration Building is significant under criterion C as… read more
Indian Mounds Regional Park sits on limestone and sandstone bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River and downtown St. Paul. It features six Native American burial mounds created roughly 1,500-2,000 years ago. The WPA constructed limestone walls throughout the park.
The WPA did extensive work on the building: rehabilitating, altering, and adding additional space. Redecorating the walls, ceilings, and Capitol dome. Repairing marble floors. Hundreds of windows weather-stripped. Expansion of the basement area via excavation, creating additional storage space. Improvement… read more
The WPA built several structures for the Minnesota State Fair from 1935-1940, including the art deco Horticulture building, the horse barn and decorative friezes, the sheep and poultry barn, the swine barn, the commissary building and the 4-H building. From… read more
In 1933, the Public Works Administration (PWA) authorized a loan to the Northern Pacific Railway for $1,250,000 to purchase new locomotives. The Interstate Commerce Commission then issued a certificate of approval for the loan, although for a slightly lesser amount… read more
One of architect Clarence “Cap” Wigington’s distinctive St. Paul structures, the West Minnehaha Recreation Center was built between 1937 and 1938 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Wigington was the first black municipal architect in the country, and many of… read more