1. Who Says the Government Can’t
Create Jobs?
Some Evidence from the New Deal’s
Works Progress Administration (WPA)
and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
Created by John F. Henry, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Dept. of Economics

2. The United States has a
$2.2 Trillion Infrastructure Deficit
-- AND --
25 Million Unemployed and
Underemployed Americans
What Would Roosevelt Do?

3. INFRASTRUCTURE

7. RIVER WALK, SAN ANTONIO

8. CITY WATER, SACRAMENTO

9. DAM, CHANNAHAN, IL

10. SAGAMORE BRIDGE, CAPE COD

11. GOVERNMENT
BUILDINGS

12. ARMORY, HIAWATHA, KS

13. CITY HALL, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

14. CITY HALL, GLENDALE, CA

15. CIVIC CENTER, ST. AUGUSTINE, FL

16. COURTHOUSE, TALLALUH, LA

17. COURTHOUSE, WEISER, IDAHO

18. DEALEY PLAZA, DALLAS, TX

19. COUNTY BUILDING, MOUNT CLEMENS, MI

20. MUNICIPAL BUILDING, OGDEN, UTAH

21. MUNICIPAL BUILDING, PRICE, UTAH

22. FIREHOUSE, LOUISVILLE, KY

23. FIREHOUSE, VAN NUYS, CA

24. POST OFFICE, WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY

25. POST OFFICE, LITTLETON, CO

26. POST OFFICE, TONOPAH, NEVADA

27. TERRELL COUNTY COURTHOUSE, DAWSON, GA

28. NAVAL RESERVE ARMORY, SEATTLE

29. CARTER COUNTRY COURTHOUSE, MO

30. MARIES COUNTY COURTHOUSE, VIENNA, MO

31. OZARK COUNTY COURTHOUSE, GAINESVILLE, MO

32. SCHOOLS

33. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, FORT WORTH

34. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, FORT WORTH

35. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, FORT WORTH

36. HIGH SCHOOL, FORT WORTH

37. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, FARMERS, KY

38. HIGH SCHOOL, OGDEN, UTAH

39. HIGH SCHOOL, SPRINGVILLE, UTAH

40. HIGH SCHOOL, TALAHASSEE, FLA

41. HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM, KING CITY, CA

42. INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE BUILDING, COLORADO STATE UNIV.

43. MOEUR ACTIVITY BUILDING, UNIV. OF ARIZONA

44. THEODORE JUDAH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SACRAMENTO, CA

45. HICH SCHOOL, REED SPRINGS, MO

46. HIGH SCHOOL, ST. GENEVIEVE, MO

47. HEALTH AND RECREATION BUILDING, SW MISSOURI STATE, SPRINGFIELD, MO

48. JAILS
(Aside: The WPA built far
more schools than jails)

49. TRINITY COUNTY JAIL, TX

50. MONTROSE COUNTY JAIL, CO

51. STADIUMS

52. KNOXVILLE, IOWA

53. RUSSELVILLE, KY

54. ROCK VALLEY, IOWA

55. FAIRGROUNDS, INDIANA

56. WILL ROGERS COLISEUM, FORT WORTH

57. UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

58. PITTSBURG STATE, KS

59. AUDITORIUMS

60. ARLINGTON HALL, DALLAS

61. LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS

62. YORK, NEBRASKA

63. MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM, KANSAS CITY, MO

64. HOUSING
PROJECTS

65. IBERVILLE PROJECT, NEW ORLEANS

66. IBERVILLE PROJECT

67. AIRPORTS

68. LAGUARDIA, NYC

69. SWIMMING POOLS

70. MISSOURI STATE, SPRINGFIELD

71. PARKS

72. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
• Constructed 37,203 vehicle bridges, 21,684,898 rods of fence and 79,538 mileage of telephone
lines
• Developed nearly 21,000 springs waterhole, and small reservoirs
• Built more than 5 million permanent and temporary check dams in connection with treating gullies
for erosion control; as well as the planting, seeding, or sodding of 114 million square yards of
terraces for protection against erosion;
• Planted or seeded roughly 2,000,000 acres of forest land with an average of 1,000 trees per acre
• Spent 5,741,000 man-days fighting forest fires and 5,392,000 man-days in fire presuppression and
prevention work
• Responsible for forest-stand improvement on 3,694,930 acres
• Developed about 55,000 acres of public camp and picnic grounds
• Stocked lakes, ponds, and streams with 9.3 million fish

73. DINOSAUR PARK, RAPID CITY, SD

74. EAGLE PARK, CLINTON, IOWA

75. EAGLE PARK, GADSDEN, ALBAMA

76. LODGE, BENTLYVILLE, OHIO

77. STAIRCASE, OREGON CITY

78. RESTROOM, LINDBERGH STATE PARK, MN

79. SHELTER, LINBERGH STATE PARK, MN

80. STONE BRIDGE, PUEBLO, CO

81. TIMBERLINE LODGE, MT. HOOD, OR

82. ISLE ROYALE, CCC TRAIL

83. KEWEENAW LODGE, COPPER HARBOR, MICHIGAN

84. KEWEENAW MOUTAIN LODGE, COPPER HARBOR, MICHIGAN

85. CABINS, KEEWANAW MOUNTAIN LODGE

86. FOREST SERVICE BUILDING, ROLLA, MO

87. FORT BELLE FOUNTAIN, ST. LOUIS

88. JEWEL BOX, ST. LOUIS BOTANICAL GARDENS

89. ARROW ROCK, MO

90. ARROW ROCK SHELTER

91. BIG SPRINGS LODGE, VAN BUREN, MO

92. BIG SPRINGS, CABIN

93. WYANDOTTE COUNTY LAKE

94. MAIN LODGE, CAMP DAVID (YES! – THAT CAMP DAVID)

95. HEALTH CARE

96. JERSEY CITY MEDICAL CENTER

97. MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, FORT MEYERS, FLORIDA

98. CHARITY HOSPITAL, NEW ORLEANS

99. EDUCATION

100. ADULT EDUCATION

101. BLIND CHILDREN ART CLASS, SALEM, OREGON

102. KENNER, LA NIGHT SCHOOL FOR NEGROES

103. DAY CARE FACILITY, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, JEFFERSON CITY

104. LINCOLN UNIVERSITY DAY CARE

105. CULTURE

106. LIBRARY BOOKMOBILE

107. BERNAL HEIGHTS LIBRARY, SAN FRANCISCO

108. LIBRARY, MIDVALE, UTAH

109. LIBRARY, NEW ORLEANS

110. ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG

111. FEDERAL BUILDING, BAS RELIEF, PEORIA, ILL

112. SCULPTURE, POST OFFICE, PHILADELPHIA

113. FOUNTAIN, EDISON, NJ

114. MONUMENT, GRIFFITHS OBSERVATORY, LOS ANGELES

115. MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, BROOKFIELD, ILL

116. OKLAHOMA ZOOZEUM

117. REPTILE HOUSE, SAN DIEGO ZOO

118. TOLEDO ZOO

119. ST. PAUL, MN ZOO

120. HOLLYWOOD BOWL STATUE

121. BAND SHELL, PUEBLO, CO

122. BAND SHELL, DAYTONA BEACH, FLA

123. STATUE, LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

124. RESTORATION, MISSION SAN ANTONIO

125. RESTORATION, FORT D, CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO

126. FEDERAL THEATRE PROJECT

127. FEDERAL THEATRE NEGRO UNIT

128. FEDERAL THEATRE PROJECT

129. FEDERAL THEATRE PROJECT

130. FEDERAL MUSIC PROJECT

131. FEDERAL ART PROJECT

132. FEDERAL ART PROJECT

133. See the Tim Robbins Movie!

134. AND, FINALLY…

135. MURALS

136. DIEGO RIVERA, INDUSTRY

137. DIEGO RIVERA, SAN FRANCISCO CITY COLLEGE

138. COIT TOWER, SAN FRANCISCO

139. COIT TOWER

140. POST OFFICE, ANADARKO, OK

141. POST OFFICE, CHICAGO

142. POST OFFICE, LOUISBURG, NC

143. UTAH STATE CAPITOL, SALT LAKE CITY

144. HISTORY OF SLAVERY, SPRINGFIELD, MA

145. HARLEM HOSPITAL

146. MAGIC OF MEDICINE, HARLEM HOSPITAL

147. POST OFFICE, PLEASANT HILL, MO

148. THOMAS HART BENTON, MISSOURI STATE CAPITOL, JEFFERSON CITY

149. CONCLUSION

150. AND, FINALLY—TIME FOR ACTION!