Recalling public works projects

Personally, I do not have any memories of hardships in the Great Depression years. Guess I could say I was too young.

Couple of us were visiting during lunch a few days ago. While neither of us discuss politics, we were talking about presidents.

We agreed that President Roosevelt — Franklin Delano, not Teddy — was the only one we knew about for years. He was inaugurated March 4, 1933 and served as 32nd president until his death in April 1945. We were high school students then and remember his Fireside Chats on the radio.

It was a big event when our family drove to Belton (West Glacier now) to see President Roosevelt on the back of the train. Our Dad even took a day off work as a Great Northern conductor.

I can remember hearing about WPA and the CCCs but was not aware of their importance.

Works Progress Administration was national program created by President Roosevelt and approved by Congress in 1935. Name was changed to Works Projects Administration in 1939.

This work/relief agency has been termed one of the most important of the New Deal.

About eight million jobs were created between 1935 and 1943. Cost was reported at 11 billion dollars. Municipal projects included airports, recreation facilities, schools, water projects such as flood control, drought relief, coastal conservation. Other projects included those hospital and health related, collecting, managing historic records and basic skills.                 

Whitefish Lake Golf Course Restaurant contains an original log structure which was started in 1936 as a WPA project. I appreciated talking with a knowledgeable employee tonight and sorry I did not get his name.

It seems Woodland Park in Kalispell is another WPA project. It is too late Sunday night to call for verification. We always ice skated on the lagoon, went sliding, attended girl scout day camps and picnicked in Woodland Park. I flunked annual swimming lessons.

Civilian Conservation Corps was established in 1933 to employ young men in conservation work.

There were more than 2.5 million CCC workers including those sent to Montana. One CCC camp was located just north of Columbia Falls and I vaguely remember visiting it. My uncle, John

O’Connell, was one of the foremen employed there.

The late Knute Knutson told me he received $15 per month when in the CCCs. He sent this home to help his parents in North Dakota.

FDR also established Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) to provide assistance for homeowners and mortgagers.

A public corporation, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA.) was instituted in 1933. Projects included building multipurpose dams to control floods and generate cheap hydroelectric power, for soil conservation and working with local agencies in social experiments.

Gladys Shay is a longtime resident and columnist for the Hungry Horse News