The Public Works Administration was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933. It built large-scale public works such as dams, bridges, hospitals, and schools. It was originally called the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works and it was renamed the Public Works Administration in 1935. The PWA was shut down in 1944.
Throughout Connecticut, various town halls, schools, fire houses, and other government buildings were built with grants from the PWA during this time.
1 School Street, Bethel
Bethel's town hall, known as the Clifford J. Hurgin Municipal Center, was originally built as the town's high school in 1939 by a grant from the PWA. The building was renamed to its current name in 2005 after Clifford J. Hurgin who was the first selectman from 1983 until 1995 and was instrumental into converting the building into the municipal center.
375 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe
The building was constructed between September 1934 and June 1935 with the help of PWA funds. The building has since been expanded and is still in use today.
2725 Main Street, Stratford
Construction began on the Town Hall in 1936 and it was completed early in 1937 at an approximate cost of $225,000. The building is still in use today.
170 Riverside Avenue, Westport
The original part of the school was constructed in 1936 as a second building for the high school, Staples High School.
The historic Merritt Parkway was built in the 1930s with the help of PWA funds. Many of the bridges along the highway from Greenwich to Trumbull are the work of the PWA.
From the Connecticut History website (1):
"The first multi-lane, limited-access roadway in Connecticut, the Merritt Parkway, was also one of the first scenic parkways in the nation. Characterized by its landscape design as well as by ornamental Art Deco and Art Moderne bridges, the 37.5-mile parkway improved access to New York City and influenced the development of Fairfield County. It cost $21 million and was the largest public works project in Connecticut at the time of its opening from 1938-1940. The parkway linked to New York’s Hutchinson River Parkway (the “Hutch”) and led developers, as well as day-trippers and commuters, to the Connecticut suburbs."
Muzzy Street, Bristol
The brick-faced grandstand, with a capacity of 4,900 people, at Muzzy Field was built in 1939 as a PWA project. The ballpark has been the home of the Bristol Blues of the New England Collegiate Baseball League since 2015. Three high schools use the field today: Bristol Central High School, Bristol Eastern High School, and Saint Paul Catholic High School
39 Dyer Avenue, Canton
The school was originally built as the high school for the town with the help of PWA funds. The construction occurred between September 1934 and April 1935.
20 South Main Street, West Hartford
The library was constructed during the 1930s with the help of funds from the PWA. Since then, the library has been expanded and it is still in use today.
246 Warren Turnpike Road, Falls Village
This school was established in 1939 as a result of a special act of the Connecticut General Assembly in 1937. It is the first regional high school in New England. Construction finished in 1938 and the architect was Ernest Sibley.
1 Thomas Avenue, Thomaston
The Center School was originally built as Thomaston's High School with help from the PWA in 1938-1939.
302 Main Street, Old Saybrook
This building was originally constructed as the Old Saybrook Consolidated School. The project was helped by a $71,511 grant from the PWA and construction began in December 1935. The building was finished in 1936. Today, the building houses the Town Hall for Old Saybrook.
67 Platt Street, Ansonia
The building was completed in May 1937 with a grant from the PWA. According to its website, "On August 10, 1937 at 8:00 P.M. a parade formed on Central Street to accompany the truck to its new home (on Platt Street). Hundreds of persons lined the streets. The parade was led by the fire chiefs and Joseph Moran, then Captain of the company. The fire truck of the company was driven to its new quarters by Aldermanic President James O'Brien, who was instrumental in having the new building constructed and locating it on its present site. Many City, State and United States Government officials were in the line of march."
115 Howard Avenue, Ansonia
The main part of the building was built in 1937 with the help of PWA funds. It originally was for the high school and has since been added on several times. The school now serves as Ansonia Middle School.
233 Church Street, Guilford
This building was originally constructed as town's high school. The town received a grant of $89,189 from the PWA to help off-set costs of the construction. The building was finished in 1936.
2040 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden
The school was built in 1935 with funds from the PWA. It has since had several renovations and additions. The PWA supplied a $212,300 grant for the project, whose total cost was $823,508. Construction began in October 1934 and was finished in October 1935.
70 West River Street, Milford
Milford's Court and Office Building was opened on March 27, 1937 as part of the Public Works Administration. The building provided offices for the Police Department, Town Treasurer, Health Officer, Engineering Department, Sewer Commission, Building Inspector, and Zoning and Planning Board.
12 Center Street, Prospect
The Prospect Community Center was originally built as a community school with funds from the Public Works Administration. Construction was finished in October 1936. The building has since had additions and now used as a community center for the town.
1 First Street, Seymour
The building was completed in October 1936 with a grant of $38,662 from the PWA. The building is still in use today.
289 Bank Street, New London
The fire station was built between 1939 and 1940 with the help of the PWA. The architects were Payne & Keefe and Scholfield & Deimel. John W. Sheedy was the City Manager and George E. Watters was the City Engineer. This fire station replaced the one that was damaged during the Hurricane in 1938.
Route 169, Norwich
This bridge spans the Shetucket River along Route 169 in Norwich entering the town of Lisbon.
204 Mistuxet Avenue, Stonington
This building was the former high school and built with the help of PWA funds between 1936 and 1938. It has since been added upon and the original design from the 1930s has been completely changed.
"Still Working For America.” Living New Deal, July 1, 2019. https://livingnewdeal.org/.
(1) Boyle, Doe. “Merritt Parkway Create Scenic Gateway to New England: Connecticut History: A Cthumanities Project.” Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project, June 29, 2021. https://connecticuthistory.org/the-merritt-parkway/.
“Town Hall's New Name to Honor Hurgin.” Danbury News Times, November 24, 2009. https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Town-Hall-s-new-name-to-honor-Hurgin-91342.php.
Webster Hose H&L Co. #3. Accessed July 7, 2021. http://websterhose.com/custom.html?id=20040.
“History of Milford, Connecticut, 1639-1939 : Federal Writer's Project for the State of Connecticut .” Bridgeport, Conn., Press of Braunworth, January 1, 1970. https://archive.org/details/historyofmilford00fede.