King County Landmarks: Works Progress Administration (WPA) Fieldhouses (1938-40), Des Moines, Enumclaw, North Bend, Preston, White Center

  • By Heather MacIntosh
  • Posted 1/01/2000
  • HistoryLink.org Essay 2402
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Addresses: Des Moines -- S 219th Street and 11th Avenue S; Enumclaw -- Enumclaw Chinook Pass Road; North Bend -- 40 SE Orchard Drive; Preston -- 8625 310th Avenue SE; White Center -- 1321 102nd Street SW, Seattle. During the Great Depression, the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) made construction funds for public buildings available to local communities under an agreement whereby the communities would provide construction materials and the government would pay for the labor. These five landmark fieldhouses are among the buildings in King County created through this program. Designed in the Rustic style popularized by the National Park Service, the gabled buildings have half-log siding or full-log construction and wood shingle roofs. The building in Preston features a river rock exterior. Broad covered porches with oversized log support posts distinguish each building's facade and a massive stone fireplace adorns each interior. All these structures remain in use as activity centers in King County or city parks.

 


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