Overview

Scope and Content

The Works Progress Administration (WPA), later called the Work Projects Administration, was a federal relief program enacted by the United States government in 1935 to offset unemployment created by the Great Depression.  Through state and municipal projects, the WPA disbursed some $11 billion in work relief to as many as 3.2 million Americans between 1935 and 1942.   The City of Dallas executed WPA park improvement projects totaling nearly $300,000 in federal funding.  The City of Dallas contributed $124,000.

Typescript, printed, photographic, and cartographic materials documenting the administration of WPA-funded park improvement projects in the City of Dallas between 1939 and 1947.  The projects were supervised by L.B. Houston, director of the City of Dallas Park Department. 

The collection contains administrative correspondence, budgets, construction and employment time reports, materials ordering and receiving records, and photographic prints and negatives of construction at Lake Cliff Park about 1940.   The Lake Cliff materials include vendor literature, planting specifications, and oversized plans and sketches regarding the park's rose garden and fountains.   It also contains proposals for city-wide park improvement projects, application materials from the City of Dallas to the War Production Board seeking funding for public swimming pools, and Public Works reserve estimates for improvements to city parks.

Organization

The collection is arranged into the following two series:

•  Lake Cliff Park projects
•  Other city-wide WPA projects

These are organized by administrative records and photographic materials.  The collection also contains oversized materials.

Access

Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from the Dallas Municipal Archives. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.

Citation

Parks - Works Progress Administration, 1939-1947 (Box <x>, Folder <y>), Dallas Municipal Archives

Related Materials

2002-001—Dallas Park and Recreation Department Plans and Drawings, 1911-1960

Index Terms

Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.)
Dallas -- Texas -- History
Parks -- Texas -- History
Park facilities -- Texas -- History
Texas -- History
Texas -- Description and travel
United States -- History -- 1933-1945

Container List