New Deal Programs helped Crittenden County - WPA

 Works Progress Administration, known as the WPA was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings, streets, bridges, roads and numerous other projects.  

Marion and Crittenden County greatly benefited from this agency and the many projects done here through the years of 1935-1943.

Some of the streets to be improved with cement bound macadam or cut black asphalt, which would include curbing and drainage, included: East and West Depot, East and West Elm; North and South College, East and West Carlisle, North and South Walker. 

      Shady Grove and Frances Gymnasium's constructed by the WPA

 Other projects submitted and approved were to construct recreational center at Shady Grove, Ky, (new gymnasium) $2,027.00, Training work centers for women at Marion, $7,782.20, to construct playground at Frances Consolidated School, Frances, Ky., $2,269.00, (Frances also got a new gymnasium) Construct playground at Mattoon Consolidated School grounds, $1,5469.00. 

Dec. 13, 1935. The rock crusher began operation at the Alexander-Hopsons quarry, Shady Grove, crushing rock for the use of W.P.A. in the paving and curbing of the various streets in the city previously designated for these improvements. The first of the rock so delivered will be placed for use around the court Square in order that this paving and curbing may be completed at once and after this to the other streets so named.

 

In March of 1936 the Press tells us that the work of preparing the streets around the Court Square for paving is rapidly progressing since the moderation of the weather. The remainder of the sewage has been completed and preparations are now under way for the laying of the curbs.

 

Another important road project that was completed in October of 1938 was the Dycusburg-Kuttawa road. The bridge connecting Lyon and Crittenden counties was opened last week. With the completion a direct route to Lyon County is now open to citizens of the Dycusburg area.

 

 

 We know they helped with the building of several bridges in the county.   In 2013 the Fiscal Court authorized the replacement of the bridge on the Bells Mines Road.  Prior to the demolition of this bridge it was noticed that this foundation stone indicated the WPA had constructed the original structure in 1939.  The stone was removed and preserved for historical purposes.  This historical stone was presented to the Crittenden County Historical Museum in Oct. 2023 to be kept and preserved.

 

Perhaps one of the last large projects completed by the WPA was the demolition of the old Marion Grade and High School building and replacing it with a beautiful new building in 1938.  

This is why it is such a shame and disgrace for us to have let this beautiful and historical building sit and slowly fall into ruin, a ruin so bad that they say it is beyond any kind of repair now, due to the expense. 

Old WPA High School Building Final Days

The Marion High School building, which is located on College Street, was completed in the year 1940 to stand as an example of progress being made in Marion, Kentucky.  It is a brick structure designed by Harry E. Boyle & Co. Architects and Engineers, Evansville, Indiana.  It is equipped with Chemistry and Home Economics, laboratories, a library and eight additional class rooms.  The Gym, which makes up the east side of the build, is very modern and will accommodate a large group of people.

The pupils, teachers and entire community are proud of their new building and they intend to keep it tat way.  (From 1941 Marion High School Annual)

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 I've written many posts about the WPA built High School building and the history of the clock and bell tower that was on top of it.  This still beautiful building, despite major deterioration of the wooden structure parts, is now in it's final days.  The demolition of it is suppose to start this week.  

Marion Code Enforcement says the building has been deemed unsafe and needs to be torn down or renovated.  The city formally condemned the build and gave the owner until April 21 to remove the clock cupola and flashing that appear to be coming unattached to the building. (I had a post and pictures about the cupola just a few weeks ago).  Chris Evans, The Crittenden Press editor had a very informative article about the final chapter for this building in the March 28, 2024 edition of the Press, titled "Destiny Sealed".  

Just a couple weeks ago, I made some pictures of the owner, Tommy Wright, and James Ray Smith, tearing down the cupola structure that had been close to falling off.

 

Needless to say, the loss of the historic old building literally makes me sick. 😢

Clock Tower Measured Days and Years For Marion

 I have made a couple of posts in the past about the old Clock and Bell Tower on the old Marion Jr. High building located on College Street, I seemed to have a fascination for the old structure and it haunts me every time I see it.  I feel I must carry on its history as long as it hangs on, literally hangs on to the top of the building. 

I can't help but look at it every time I am on College Street and think about the history of this once proud clock and bell tower.  There is no sign now of the old clock, because its Roman numerals and arms of  the clock have been lost to time, only the aging wooden tower once home to the 1895 clock is left, and with its present condition, it will soon disappear from sight.

 

It's history began with the new Grade and High School building that was built in 1895.  As the building was almost completed and the tower that was to be the final step in it's completion, some enterprising spirits conceived the idea of putting in a clock, and in a few days a big $600 clock and bell  was installed in the tower, it will tell and toll of the time, and as it measures off the days and years of the people of Marion.

 

 

The clock and bell tolled out the time and called the children to school each day in this building for 43 years and by then the school had become to small to hold all the students so in 1938 a new school was decided to be built.  The new brick structure would be part of the work of the New Deal, the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The new school was completed in 1938-1940 and the first graduating class was in 1941.  The clock and bell from the 1895 building was saved and placed in the new structure.

The clock ticked and the bell tolled until about 1966 and it became beyond repair and some of the parts on the outside were lost and it wasn't able to rewind the time piece so it sat idle for the rest of it's life.

In August of 1981 this school was closed and students transferred to the new Crittenden County Elementary School on Autumn Lane.

Today,  November 2023, only the old wooden structure that held the clock and bells has just about lost it's battle to time and looks like it will soon be gone.

Threlkeld Memorial Lake

A post card showing the newly built city water filtration Plant, located on the Chapel Hill Road.  Cira late 1930's, early 1940's.

Threlkeld Memorial Lake

In 1933 Marion's long awaited for water project was finally becoming a reality. A WPA project for the city was to beautify the water works lake site on Chapel Hill Road. 

December 8, 1933 – After the filter plant and dam were completed, Marion's next project was to turn the water works lake sight into a park and it would be called Lake Side Park. 

June 8, 1934 -Mayor J. V. Threlkeld, passed away on April 22, 1934. Mr. Threlkeld was one of Marion's most popular Mayors. Through two administrations and entering upon the third he served his city and in that capacity was instrumental in securing the R. F. C. loan for the financing of the filtration plant and water works reservoir recently completed.

Through the efforts of Dr. T. A. Frazer, a lasting tribute will be paid to former Mayor J. V. Threlkeld, by naming the grounds of the new Marion water plant the “J. V. Threlkeld Memorial Lake Park.

With the cooperation of the council, local citizens, the Marion Kiwanis Club, other interested individuals and the Kentucky game and fish Commission, the lake site will be beautified and made one of the most appropriate memorials ever imagined. At the earliest possible date the lake will be stocked with game fish and such as may be furnished by the State and Federal government . The lake site will be beautified and made one of the most appropriate memorials ever imagined.

(These park plans were not completed until the fall of 1952 when the Marion Kiwanis Club decided to make it one of their 1952 projects and placed six concrete picnic tables and brick or stone furnaces where people might go for an outing. ) But it never was the popular community site that they thought it would be. I can remember doing some child hood fishing in the lake with my dad and having a family picnic on the grounds. It is one of our forgotten passages of time as nothing is there to show it as it once was. The old treatment plant was torn down in 1983.

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The Silent Tower

This article about the old Clock Tower on the empty Marion High School was written in May of 1977. 

 The Silent Tower

Yes, there really is a clock in the tower on top of Marion Elementary School.

 But, no, it doesn't run, at least not right now. That is because no one had bothered to wind it for, more that 10 years past. 

According to Charles Talley, Marion Elementary principal, winding is about all it would take to make it tick again, once you reattached it's 15-foot pendulum.

But winding the clock, which was transferred to the present building from the old graded school, is no easy matter.

D. E. Woodall, who as custodian wound it in the old building and later in the new WPA constructed building, says it's placement in the new structure made it hard to do.

Three concrete weights, weighting 250-300 pounds are cranked up with a windlass. The weights appear to have been made from old nail kegs poured full of concrete.

Woodall recalls that the timepiece, made by E. Howard and Company of Boston, Mass., was an eight-day clock. Woodall says he wound it each Thursday.

Getting to the clock tower in the present building is no easy matter either. It's straight up two narrow ladder flights. And you start by climbing over a wash basin in the principal's office.

Talley says about 10 years ago, (this would have been in 1966) when the school was re-roofed and workmen were in the clock tower every day, they got the clock to running, but never well enough to synchronize the hand on the four faces.

Presently, in addition to the pendulum being disconnected, some of the arms going to the faces are loose.

Woodall recalls, too, that when in the old building there was a large bell with the clock which would ring out the hour and half hour. It was also rung he said for classes.

The bell, he said, was junked and eventually sold in Evansville when the old building was torn down.

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In August of 1981, the present Crittenden County Elementary School was built, and the building, then known as Marion Junior High was sold.

This is the sad shape the old historic clock is in today, 2015.  Just about totally gone.  

The clock was originally installed in the new Marion High and Graded School in 1895.  When that building was torn down in 1938 to build the building that is there today, the old clock was saved and installed in this building.

Marion High School 1940

Marion High School.

Plans for this building were being formed in April 1938. The new building would be on the corner of College and Carlisle Streets. The new building would be of brick and concrete construction throughout. It would have nine classrooms in addition to a library and assembly hall, superintendents office and a combination auditorium and gymnasium.

A lot of the labor was done by the WPA. It was a beautiful building and the community was very proud of it. The first class to graduate from the new Marion High School was in 1941.

When the county and city high schools were consolidated, this became the Middle School, housing 7th and 8th graders. Once again it served the community well. This building was in use until August 1981.

The building today is beyond repair, with windows broken out and doors and roofs crumbling with the wear of time. Several groups have tried to save it and turn into something that could be useful for the community, but the cost was more than anyone could afford. It's a shame that these once useful and beautiful building have to end this way.