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.
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
St. Mary's Recreation Center Construction, looking southwesterly from near Crescent and Justin, January 4, 1934.
Photo: OpenSFHistory.org wnp14.2795
St. Mary's Recreation Center Construction work crew, January 4, 1934
photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA
Longer view of the St. Mary's Recreation Center Construction, December 26, 1933
photo: OpenSFHistory.org, wnp14.2793