WPA flood work aids in crisis: Throws 700 workers and $31,000 in breach as city strives to meet flood emergency

By admission of city and county officials perhaps no organization has been of greater help to Parkersburg and Wood county in coping with the recent flood problem than the Works Progress Administration.

Throwing 500 WPA workers and 200 NYA youths at the disposal of the city and county to move families and protect life and property during the flood emergency, the federal agency played an invaluable part in making the disaster easier to bear.

The Parkersburg News

Feb. 2, 1937

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Other WPA projects listed in the article mentioned above include:

Public building repaired – Sponsored by the city, board of education, and backed by local organizations, the WPA has furnished the necessary labor and a part of the necessary equipment and materials to renovate 69 buildings in Wood County.

The value of this work cannot be rated in dollars and cents, as it involves better conditions for school children, more useful fire stations and a better community.

Alley improvement – Approximately six miles of alleys have been improved in Parkersburg. In 1935 more than a mile and a quarter of sidewalks were constructed by WPA labor taken from the relief rolls.

Sanitary outhouses – Sponsored by the US public health service, the WPA built 1,097 sanitary outhouses in Wood County alone.

Women’s professional projects – Otherwise unemployed heads of families taken from relief rolls were given steady employment, regular pay checks at the prevailing wage rate, in the WPA sewing rooms.

Library project – Utilizing 15 persons in a WPA library project, approximately 2,348 books were salvaged. The books have been repaired and re-bound and are again in circulation.

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Advance bath house project: Two crews of 30 men working on municipal swimming pool; to be completed Decoration Day

The bath house at the municipal swimming pool in City Park is rapidly approaching completion. Installation of showers and other plumbing fixtures, together with construction of dressing booths remain to be completed.

Outside work also is progressing, with the wading pool for children being completed last week. Workmen now are constructing a sand beach.

The Parkersburg News

April 14, 1937

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Fifth Street Bridge nearing completion

The Fifth Street bridge across the Little Kanawha river should be completed by May, it was announced yesterday by H.R. Staley, government engineer inspector for the WPA on the project.

Mr. Staley said the state road commission had let the contract for the removal of 28 trees on Fifth Street to Nu-Way Nurseries, and that this work would be undertaken within the next few days.

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The Wood County Historical Society works to preserve yesterday for tomorrow. For more information, contact P.O. Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102