Guide to the City Progress Contest (Bellingham, WA) Scrapbook 1933-1938
Cage 169

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Title
City Progress Contest (Bellingham, WA) Scrapbook
ID
Cage 169
Date [inclusive]
1933-1938
Extent
1.5 feet of linear shelf space, 1 box
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
A scrapbook of photographs and typescript reports documenting the construction projects carried out in Bellingham, Washington, 1933-1938, under several federal New Deal agencies including the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Public Works Administration (PWA), and the Civil Works Administration (CWA).

Preferred Citation

City Progress Contest (Bellingham, WA) Scrapbook, 1933-1938

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections Washington State University Libraries Pullman, WA

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Biography/History

During the 1930s, Bellingham, Washington conducted a series of publicly funded civic improvement projects that were sponsored by various state and federal agencies including the Washington Emergency Relief Administration (WERA), Works Progress Administration (WPA), Public Works Administration (PWA), Civil Works Administration CWA, and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The monetary value of the projects totaled nearly four million dollars. The main improvements were made to the Whatcom County Airport, the Eureka Sewer, and the Port Commission. Funds also went to the construction of a new high school and a 1,600 foot seawall. These projects greatly reduced the percentage of unemployment in Bellingham.

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Scope and Content

This collection contains a single item: a scrapbook recording the projects completed in Bellingham, Washington under the WPA, PWA, and CWA, from 1933 to 1938. The scrapbook contains photographs of the projects, typescript reports describing the projects and funds, and letters from various correspondents including Bellingham Mayor Burleigh E. Hanning. All of the pages are detailed with decorative borders and the first page features a hand painted illustration of Uncle Sam presenting money to Bellingham's mayor with graphics indicating how much money went to each section of development. The art work was done by Whipple Yale Chester, National Advertising Manager of the Bellingham Herald, and the photographs were supplied by the Bellingham school district and the Bellingham Herald.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  2013

http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open and available for research use.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated to the Washington State University Libraries in 1942 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

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Names and Subjects

Geographic Name(s)

  • United States. Works Progress Administration

Subject(s)

  • Public works -- Washington (State) -- Bellingham
  • Washington (State)
  • Public Works
  • Scrapbooks

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