During the heart of the Great Depression, President Roosevelt ordered the creation of the Works Progress Administration. The purpose of the W.P.A. was to get Americans back to work. W.P.A. programs included everything from building flashlights to creating major monuments. Champaign-Urbana took full advantage of this program and made vast improvements that can still be seen today.
Boneyard Creek has shaped the Urbana-Champaign landscape since before the first settlers arrived. The Works Progress Administration saw a great opportunity for employing hundreds of out-of-work individuals by making improvements to Boneyard Creek. Pictured are the laying of a concrete floor for drainage and the building of a protective wall against erosion.
Lara, Archives