Parks-Works Progress Administration Records

An Inventory to the Collection in the Dallas Municipal Archives


Decsriptive Summary

Repository: Dallas Municipal Archives, Office of the City Secretary, 1500 Marilla St., Dallas, TX 75201
Creator: Dallas. Park and Recreation Department
Title: Parks - Works Progress Administration
Dates: 1939 -1947
Quantity: Six inches linear
Abstract: Typescript, printed, photographic, and cartographic materials documenting the administration of WPA-funded park improvement projects in the City of Dallas between 1939 and 1947.
Identification: 95-043
Language: The records are in English.

Scope and Contents

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. There are two main series: Lake Cliff Park project, and other city-wide WPA projects. It 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.

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 a number of WPA park improvement projects totaling nearly $300,000 in federal funding. $124,000 was contributed by the City.

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Arrangement

By series and chronological within each series. Maps have been separated to the map cases for proper oversized flat storage.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Parks-Works Progress Administration, 1939-1947, Dallas Municipal Archives, Office of the City Secretary, City of Dallas, Texas.

Acquisition Information

Transferred from creating department.

Processing Information

The Collection was described by John Slate, City Archivist.

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Subject Terms

Parks -- Texas -- History
Park facilities -- Texas -- History
Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.)
United States. Works Progress Administration.
United States. National Youth Administration.
Texas -- History
Texas -- Description and travel
United States -- History -- 1935-1945.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Box: Folder: Title, Date
1 Administrative Records:
1 Works Progress Administration proposal, 1939
2 City-wide tree planting project, 1939
3 Lake Cliff Park, 1940-1941
4 Lake Cliff Park-requests for materials, 1940-1943
5 Lake Cliff Park-Rose Garden, 1941-1944
6 Lake Cliff Park-receiving records, 1941-1943
7 Lake Cliff Park-receiving records, 1941-1943
8 War Production Board-Pools, 1945
9 Public Works reserve estimates for future park improvements, 1942-1947
Box: Folder: Title, Date
2 Photographic Materials
1 Photographic prints (5x7)-Lake Cliff Park, ca. 1940-1941
2 Photographic negatives (5x7)-Lake Cliff Park, ca. 1940-941
OS 1: Oversized maps