I've always been interested in the WPA. As a child growing up above Lehigh Parkway on Liberator Avenue, I explored structures which, unfortunately, no longer exist. Before this blog and its voice, I prevailed upon both Joe Daddona and Bill Heydt for emergency repairs.
I first posted about Junction Street in 2008. Although only two blocks long, the street contains monumental WPA projects. It hosts both the steps and the high retaining wall on Union Street. The steps served our war effort, as workers used them from center city to work at the Mack plants on S. 10th Street.
In 2009, I conducted a series of public meetings at the Allentown Library on the WPA. In attendance was Karen El-Chaar, then director of Friends Of The Parks. Karen later secured a grant from Trexler Trust to repair the Fountain Park steps.
El Chaar is now parks director for the city, but unfortunately, the WPA structures still have not become a priority for the city. My stock with the Trust and the city administration ebbs and flows, because I never mince words as I continue to speak out on various issues.
Shown above is recent damage to a small part of the wall leading down to Martin Luther King Drive. Although I want to see it restored, other WPA structures in our parks are actually jeopardized by neglect. Number one on my wish list is the double stairwell in Lehigh Parkway.
Thank you for covering this. With your ok, I'm going to re-post two comments from your article on the Wagon Trail, when it was reprinted on 1/9/20:
ReplyDeleteComment #1:
"Off topic for this post, but not off topic for this blog:
It looks like the WPA wall across from Fountain Park (on the hill connecting Union Street to MLK Drive has sustained significant damage. Could have been a vehicle that hit it (I only saw it from the MLK side), but there's a significant part of the wall missing.
While repairs likely will have to wait for warmer weather, I guess we'll once again see how much the current occupants (some old, some new) of City Hall value our historic architectural heritage, or if they value it at all."
Comment #2:
"Two points to follow up on my post above:
1) If it was a vehicle that hit the wall, hopefully it was reported and the drivers' insurance can pay for proper repairs to the wall.
2) I'm hoping that someone from the city collected and is safeguarding the original stones from the wall, so that any undamaged originals can be replaced."
I'll emphasize the comment I made in January about the City pursuing the driver who caused the damage (and their insurance company) to pay for the damage done.
ReplyDeleteMy hope is that the City will hold the person responsible to the high standard of repairing the Junction Street wall to it's ORIGINAL state, and not to what seems like its current standard of neglect (as you note).
It is interesting that all these structures had a similar look or design, I know there is a spring and wall out on constitution drive, far from a developed area.They must have all had the same designer or engineer. They also have held up well for all these years.
ReplyDeleteIt was the way all stone masons back then did the work !!my grandfather was one of the stone masons that worked on some of these WPA projects ! I know he worked on the steps there ,and the stone walls and bridge at Jordan park ! And he work on the stone work for the P. P. & L. Building !
DeleteThe parks in Bethlehem, particularly Saucon Park, Monocacy Park, and Johnston Park downtown, have the same distinctive stonework. One boat launch in Johnston Park has the letters “CWA” laid into it. The Civilian Works Agency hi think) was a part of the WPA. Earlier creek wall work was done by Archibald Johnston five miles upstream from downtown Bethlehem. This area had a good number of talented stonemasons who were kept busy well into the postwar period.
ReplyDeleteThe bridge at Jordan is gone, now like the parkway wall it will be lick-em stick-em look alikes. Were have all the stones gone is the story behind the great and powerful Oz's curtain.
ReplyDeleteMy maternal grandfather was also one of the stone masons that worked on the steps & retaining wall at Fountain Park, the retaining wall & double steps in the Lehigh Parkway, & the wall & steps at Union Terrace. It pains me to know end that the previous administration did nothing to maintain these irreplaceable icons.
ReplyDelete