St Mary's Recreation Center

Unfinished History

Manual laborers "shaping" the slopes for the St. Mary's Recreation Area under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), work which began in 1933.

According to Clyde Healy, Assistant city engineer and City of SF coordinator of WPA projects, the WPA constructed St. Mary’s playground, which was largely a grading job and installing fencing, landscaping, and building rubble and concrete walls. The rest of the site was built out in the 40s and 50s.

Jan 4 1934 St. mary's Park, later St. Mary's Recreation Center, under construction. Men grading baseball field by hand. View westerly, Crescent Avenue, Bernal Heights at right above the park wnp14.2794.jpg

January 4, 1934, St. Mary's Recreation Center under construction. Men grading baseball field by hand. Bernal Heights at right above park.

Photo: OpenSFHistory.org wnp14.2794

Jan 4 1934 St. Mary's Park, later St. Mary's Recreation Center, under construction. View Southwest toward the Excesior and McLaren Park. Men grading field by hand wnp14.2795.jpg

St. Mary's Recreation Center Construction, looking southwesterly from near Crescent and Justin, January 4, 1934.

Photo: OpenSFHistory.org wnp14.2795

Bernlhts$st-marys-residence-workers.jpg

St. Mary's Recreation Center Construction work crew, January 4, 1934

photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA

Dec 26 1933 St. Mary's Park, later St. Mary's Recreation Center under construction. View south across Alemany Boulevard toward grading, houses on Crescent, Bernal Heightswnp14.2793.jpg

Longer view of the St. Mary's Recreation Center Construction, December 26, 1933

photo: OpenSFHistory.org, wnp14.2793

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