Thursday, May 21, 2015

Throwback Thursday

While trying to find something to blog about for Throwback Thursday, I came across this document.

In history class you hear about Work Projects Administration (WPA) an aid relief program instituted by Pres. Franklin Delano Roosevelt that put millions of men to work during The Great Depression. When you hear about things like this, it's just a foot note. Something you have to remember to take a test.












My maternal grandfather was employed by the WPA. He was a stone mason. The document, a request for termination of employment. is dated 25. May 1942. Grandpa had been working on Project No. 23255, The Commonwealth Armory on Commonwealth Avenue in Allston, Massachusetts. The building first went up in 1914-1915.

Reason for leaving the WPA was he accepted private employment for the Park Department for the City of East Boston.

There are a lot of odd coincidences to me finding this document today, 21. May 2015. The document will be exactly 73 years old on Monday. The Commonwealth Armory was torn down in 2002 to make way for the next phase of construction to Boston University's Student Village. I graduated from BU on 22. May 1977. Passed by this building a gazillion times and had no clue my grandfather had helped with renovations.

In 2004, the site became the new home of the Agganis Arena, home to BU's hockey team and other events.


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