Small Ohio towns have plenty of one thing: buildings once occupied by fraternal organizations. Glouster, population 1,791 in 2010, had at least four in one block. This ornate building used by the Knights of Pythias, was labeled K. of P. Block.
A whole menagerie
In addition to the Knights, the street hosted a Moose Lodge, Masonic Hall and an Eagles Aerie.
Corner in late 1960s
I’m pretty sure this is the same corner taken in the late 1960s. I apologize if the photo looks dark. It’s hard to judge color and tones on a laptop because the appearance changes depending on the angle of the screen.
Football stadium built by WPA
Here’s another of those federal stimulus projects left over from The Depression. I wonder how many football games have been played in it since it was built in 1940?
Home of The Tomcats
The Home of the Tomcats looks like it has been freshly painted. They built it to last.
The Glouster Stadium reminds me of the Jackson Mo Stadium. I know nothing about the Jackson Stadium but it always reminded me of a WPA project. There were so many projects done by WPA, like the wall east on Highway 72 going into Arcadia Valley. There is a little known small abandoned dam built by the WPA on a farm next to our property. If the farmer hadn’t told me about it, one wouldn’t have known it was there. Why it was built is still a mystery.
I don’t recall in my younger days talking with anyone who worked for the WPA but I do recall visiting with several who worked for the CCC, planting trees etc.
The Jackson football stadium looks like a WPA project because it was one.
So is the Glouster Stadium, Bill. The dirt was wheeled in by hand to elevate it above the floodplain. It provided about 18 months of work through WPA for townsfolk.