Many buildings were built in the WPA Moderne style between 1933 and 1944, during and shortly after the Great Depression as part of relief projects sponsored by the Public Works Administration (PWA) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The style draws from traditional styles such as Beaux-Arts classicism and Art Deco, and reflect a greater use of conservative and classical elements. With its monumental feel, it makes sense that a variety of civic buildings were built in this style, such as post offices, public schools, libraries, civic centers, courthouses, and museums.
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Colfax County Courthouse
Northeast Region: Raton
Constructed 1936. The 1936 Art Deco style Colfax County Courthouse is a five-story blond brick building embellished with glazed tile cornices and bas relief metal panels. The larger bas reliefs depict farming, mining, and cattle raising, the main industries of Colfax County. The motifs on the embellishments include cattle brands Read more…
Curry County Courthouse
East Region: Clovis
Constructed 1936. The Curry County Courthouse in Clovis was built in 1936 using WPA funds. 700 N. Main St. Clovis, NM 88101 | (575) 763-6016
Deming Post Office
Southwest Region: Deming
Constructed 1937. Built at the bid cost of $62,400, the national register-listed Deming Post Office was constructed in 1937 by the New Deal programs and is a red brick, single-story building with limestone belt courses, lintels, sills and decorative panels. Kenneth Adams completed the mural “Mountains & Yuccas” in the Read more…
E3 Children’s Museum & Science Center
Northwest Region: Farmington
Constructed 1937. The Farmington library was moved to a new building constructed in 1937 as a Works Progress Administration project located on the small city park at the corner of East La Plata and Orchard. The collection consisted of 2,000 books. This building was remodeled in 1961 and again in Read more…
Lea County Courthouse
Southeast Region: Lovington
Constructed 1937. While it appears that the funds used to construct the Lea County Courthouse are NOT the result of New Deal programs, the style is similar to that of other New Deal-era courthouses. The county was experiencing an oil boom at the time and it is possible that it Read more…
Quay County Courthouse
East Region: Tucumcari
Constructed 1939. The 1939 Art Deco style courthouse is a four-story concrete, granite and cast stone building with stone bas relief embellishments depicting faming, cowboys, and the railroad — significant symbols of the community’s economic base. The building, built with PWA funds, resembles other courthouses on the east side of Read more…
Roosevelt County Courthouse
East Region: Portales
Constructed 1938. The 1938 Art Deco Style Courthouse is a four-story structure of cast stone and blond brick with cast concrete and metal bas relief embellishments. It was designed by R.E. Merrell and partially funded through the Public Works Administration. The decorative motifs include thunderbirds and a bas relief medallion Read more…
Truth or Consequences Post Office (Geronimo Springs Station)
Southwest Region: Truth or Consequences
Constructed 1940. Completed in 1940, the post office in downtown Truth or Consequences (known at the time as Hot Springs) was built according to the standardized plan also used for the Deming and Portales post offices, but with less ornamentation. The post office is listed on the National Register of Read more…