YCHS: Hattie Weber WPA project

Hattie Weber WPA Project - March 19, 2015

The Hattie Weber Museum of Davis is raising funds to pay for a large part of the renovation of the old WPA-funded restroom adjacent to The Museum in Central Park. The building is a historic landmark for its association with the making of our town’s first public park in 1937. Also, the building is a reminder of our town’s involvement in the Works Progress Administration as a stimulus to help our country and community emerge from the Great Depression. WPA goals included providing the infrastructure for a healthier population and a more complete local community life. Restrooms in parks encouraged the participation of women and children in outdoor recreation.

The City has agreed to contribute the avoided cost of demolition ($14,100) and that the Museum will occupy the renovated building. We will use it as our storage annex and also (to a limited extent) for exhibit preparation and display purposes. The Museum is in serous need of storage space, to de-clutter our premises and to retain for later re-use our growing number of previous temporary exhibits. And, artifacts from our town’s history continue to be donated for future exhibits.

We have raised $40,000 but the architect’s plans, just completed, reveal that we are just half way there. As a stimulus to encourage major donations, one of our volunteers has promised to match the next three donations of $1000 each.

If you are able to contribute in any amount, please send to the Museum at 445 C St. (or drop it off Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 to 4) a check made out to “Yolo County Historical Society” (which administrates the Museum’s finances) with a notation (“WPA renovation”); a letter of receipt (giving the 501-C-3 number) will follow. We would be happy to show you the architect’s renovation plans for a unified 20’x20’ main room and the 8’x10’ adjunct room. If we raise enough money, we will be able to replace the tile roof that was on the building in 1937.