WPA in New Mexico

The New Deal Treasures Exhibit

New Mexico MainStreet helped honor the WPA workers, buildings and art with the 2008 New Deal Treasures traveling exhibit, which visited Silver City, Artesia, Portales and Raton.

Zimmerman Library on the campus of UNM in Albuquerque

More About the WPA

The Devil on Foot

Franklin D. Roosevelt assumed the office of the President of the United States in March of 1933. The Great Depression was in its fourth year of economic devastation and he had been elected on his pledge of “a New Deal to aid the forgotten man.” He quickly enacted the first New Deal programs and the Works Progress Administration, later Works Project Administration (WPA), was one of those. The president felt that the relief programs that had been established after the stock market crash of 1929 were undermining the nation’s self respect. The intent of the WPA was to provide work projects that encouraged self-reliance and independence. To that end, the Program set about developing small, useful projects in every remote corner of the country, ensuring maximum employment with each project.

Kent Hall on the campus of NMSU in Las Cruces

To Spanish-speaking people the pronunciation of WPA sounded very much like El Diablo a Pie, meaning “the Devil on foot,” which became a popular name for the program. Under any name, the WPA had a tremendous impact on the national crisis and the critical situation in the Southwest, which was suffering from both the stock market crash and a severe drought which had created “The Dustbowl”.

By 1941, total expenditures nationally on WPA projects were approximately $11.4 billion. About 75 percent of WPA employment and expenditures went to public facilities and infrastructure, such as highways, streets, public buildings, airports, utilities, small dams,
sewers, parks, city halls, bridges, 125,000 buildings and 700 miles of airport runways. Seven percent of the budget was allocated to arts projects, which included some 225,000 concerts and almost 475,000 pieces of art. Writers were also employed. In our state New Mexico: A Guide to the Colorful State was produced by the WPA. It has since been republished as the WPA Guide to 1930s New Mexico.

Naumer’s work ‘Mt. Taylor’ displayed at Clayton High School

In the 1930 the population of New Mexico was 423,317 and by 1935 over one half of all New Mexicans were enrolled in one of the various New Deal programs. Many of the buildings and works of art created during the WPA remain focal points in our towns and villages, including most of our MainStreet communities.

Even sidewalks were part of the WPA’s varied projects

We hope you enjoyed the opportunity to see the exhibit in one of our MainStreet towns, see the art and architecture, and learn more about this most important period of New Mexico’s history. Thanks to each Off the Road community that participated in this exciting and educational event.

The WPA in Albuquerque

Albuquerque is home to scores of WPA buildings and works. Among the most prolific are the following-

WPA Buildings

John Gaw Meem designed both Scoles Hall and Zimmerman Library on the campus of the University of New Mexico (the corner of University and Central). Both have undergone redesign and restoration, but still carry many of the architect’s innovative design features. Also on the campus of UNM, the Anthropology building is from that era, and contains three large murals by Joseph Imhof.

Zimmerman Library

The Old Albuquerque Municipal Airport (2920 Yale SE) is a Pueblo revival style two-story building that stands in the shadow of the Albuquerque Sun Port.

The Monte Vista Fire Station (3201 Central, now a restaurant), the Albuquerque Little Theater (224 San Pasquale SW) and Old Albuquerque High School (301 Central, now loft apartments) were all built under the WPA, but have gone through various renovations and remodelings, in some cases altering their appearance drastically.

Old Albuquerque High School

WPA Artwork

There are two large murals in the U.S. Federal Building/District Courthouse (421 Gold), one of the 1680 Pueblo revolt by Loren Mozley, and another by Emil Bisttram. On the 8th floor of the Federal Building at 517 Gold, there is a large painting of the construction of Conchas Dam by artist Odon Hullenkramer.

The Albuquerque Museum (2000 Mountain Rd NW) contains many WPA works, including those from Emilo Bisttram and Joseph Fleck.

Carrie Tingley Hospital (1127 University) has a dozen works by various artists in its administrative offices.

The Jonson Gallery (also on the campus of UNM) is devoted to the works of Raymond Jonson, and has many of his New Deal era works.

The University of New Mexico Art Museum, already home to dozens of WPA works, will be holding it’s own 75th Anniversary Celebration of New Deal Artwork, For the Greater Good: New Deal Art in New Mexico 1933-1943, featuring works by Raymond Jonson, Willard Nash and a dozen others. The exhibit runs from February 26-May 25, 2008.

The WPA in Artesia

Old Gym

Artesia is home to several WPA construction projects including the Municipal Hospital, the Old City Hall, the gym on the Artesia Schools campus and the wall around Morris Field. The Hospital is in private hands. The Old City Hall is also a private office, but looks much the same as when it was built. The gym is still the gym and Morris Field is still in use, also on the school campus. Much of the construction uses beautiful local stone, which can be seen throughout Artesia, including the once private residence that is now the Artesia Historical Museum & Art Center.

The WPA in Carlsbad

The Carlsbad Museum and Art Center (418 W. Fox) features a mural size painting by LaVerne Nelson Black titled, “The Jicarilla Apache Trading Post.” It is a dramatic piece capturing the post at dusk.

The WPA in Clovis

The Curry County Courthouse (700 N. Main) was originally built in 1936. At Hillcrest Park (10th Street and Sycamore) you’ll find a sunken garden and an arch from that era.

The Curry County Courthouse

Paul Lantz’s large untitled oil mural can be found in the Old Post Office Building (the Eldon Smith Architect Office on 4th and Mitchell). The painting takes us back to turn of the century main street Clovis.

2 paintings, “Aspen and Oak” and “Ochre Hills,” by Howard Schleeter are on display at the Clovis Community College (417 Schepps).

WPA in Deming

Deming has several buildings constructed by New Deal programs. One that still looks as it did when it was built is the Post Office. It is a red brick, single-story building with limestone belt courses, lintels, sills and decorative panels. In 1990 it was nominated to be included in the National Register for Historic Places. The Post Office also houses a WPA mural painted by Kenneth Adams entitled, “Mountains and Yucca,” in the lobby. The mural is pictured here.

“Mountains and Yucca” mural

Other WPA buildings include the library, Deming Country Club, a hospital addition, and the National Guard OMS.

The WPA in Las Cruces

Kent Hall (University Ave. and Solano Dr.), on the campus of New Mexico State University, was constructed by the WPA and now houses the schools museum. Additionally, the Rhodes-Garrett-Hamiel Dorm, built in 1941, used WPA funds.

The WPA partially funded the construction of the Old Dona Ana County Courthouse (251 West Amador) a three story white adobe with exposed vigas and wooden balconies.

Tom Lea’s Mural “First Book About New Mexico-1610″

Tom Lea painted two murals that now hang in the New Mexico State University library. Additionally, his 1935 mural, “First Book About New Mexico-1610” can be seen in the Branigan Cultural Center (501 North Main St.). Although the painting was privately commissioned for the old city library, it is often placed in the context of the WPA because of Lea’s other WPA works and the public nature of the mural.

Designed by John Gaw Meem, Rogers hall
is the centerpiece of New Mexico Highlands University

The WPA in Las Vegas

New Mexico Highlands University’s Rogers Hall (National and 8th) was designed by John Gaw Meem and built in 1937. The Spanish Colonial Revival building also features murals painted by Lloyd Moylan. The spectacular mural stretches up the stairwell of the first floor into the foyer of the second floor, and is titled, “The Dissemination of Education in New Mexico.”

Other WPA building sights include a 1940 municipal building that is now the Las Vegas Museum and Norman L. King Memorial Stadium.

The WPA in Portales

Portales boasts both WPA buildings and artwork. The Post Office (116 West First St.) was completed in 1937 and is a Classical Revival style building, featuring a single story red brick structure over a raised basement. The building also houses a WPA mural by Theodore Van Soelen, “Buffalo Range.”

Buffalo Range mural

The Administration Building at Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) is also a WPA building that houses a WPA mural by Lloyd Moylan titled, “The 12th Chapter of Ecclesiastes.” The mural covers the walls, floor to ceiling, around the staircase from the first to second floor. Other WPA buildings on the ENMU campus include Lea and Quay Halls – both dormitories. Golden Library, on the campus, houses several WPA works of art.

The Roosevelt County Museum is a WPA building and it houses several pieces of WPA art. Finally, the art deco-style Roosevelt County Courthouse (100 W. 2nd St.) (shown in the photo) is a WPA building constructed in 1938.

Colfax County Courthouse

The WPA in Raton

The Colfax County Courthouse (230 N. 3rd St.) is an impressive blonde brick structure built by the WPA in 1936. The exterior features relief’s depicting farming, mining, and cattle raising (important area industries), while the interior has an Art Deco flair.

Joseph A. Fleck painted murals in 1936 that were placed in the Raton Post Office (245 Park). The murals are entitled, “The Butterfield Mail” and “Unloading Mail at Raton.” Fleck insisted the murals be placed in Raton because it was a place he loved to visit.

The Arthur Johnson Memorial Library (244 Cook) was built as the town’s original post office during the WPA project. It is also home to a large collection of WPA-era paintings.

An incredible eight panel history of the area was created by Manville Chapman. Covering 50 years (1845-1895), the panels depict buffalo hunts, trapping, stage coaches, and local landmarks. The panels hang in the foyer of the Schuler Theater (132 N. 2nd St.).

The WPA in Roswell

Roswell Museum and Art Center

The Roswell Museum and Art Center (RMAC) came about as a result of the WPA. Today it is the only remaining art center started during that era that has had its doors open continuously and has continued to fulfill its original mission to this day. The Center and its furnishings were built between 1937 and 1939 at a cost of $10,338.The Museum has set aside a room to exhibit the remaining pieces of furniture and other creations from that era. the Museum’s permanent collection also includes WPA art, such as Olive Rush’s “Weird Land” watercolor, pastels by Helmuth Naumer and more.

More information: www.roswellmuseum.org.

The Historical Center for Southeast New Mexico houses four bronze busts done by John Raymond Terken in 1937. The busts are of prominent Roswell citizens John S. Chisum, Joseph C. Lea, John J. Hagerman, and Amelia Bolton Church.

Other WPA buildings can be found on the campus of the New Mexico Military Institute, the Old Roswell Municipal Airport built in 1943, and the Chaves County Courthouse.

WPA in Santa Rosa

Guadalupe County Courthouse

Santa Rosa has two great examples of WPA architecture. The Guadalupe County Courthouse, currently under renovation, is a beautiful example. It is a two-story stone structure with bird sculptures guarding each corner of the exterior.

The Santa Rosa Middle School is the second example. It is a single story stone building with the attention to detail typical in WPA work.

WPA in Silver City

The art deco-style Grant County Courthouse, at the top of Broadway, is a WPA building and it also houses two WPA murals: “Chino Mines” and “The Round Up,” both painted by Theodore Van Soelen. Graham Gymnasium at Western New Mexico University is also a WPA building and the rock walls and walkway around the “Big Ditch” were also constructed with WPA funds.

Coronado mural

WPA in Tucumcari

Tucumcari has both WPA buildings and art. The Quay County Courthouse and the National Guard Armory were both built with New Deal funding in 1939. The Courthouse is a concrete, granite and cast stone four-story building. The interior has terrazzo floors, plaster ceilings, marble walls and Art Deco detailing, such as hand rails, grilles, and light fixtures. The Courthouse also features a mural on the second floor entitled “Coronado.” The mural was painted by Ben Carlton Mead in 1939 and is 15’ by 9’.