Civil Works Administration

Unveiled on November 8, 1933 as part of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), the intent of the Civil Works Administration (CWA) was to provide temporary winter construction work. It ended on March 31 of the next year after employing four million people at a cost of $200 million dollars a month for five months.

CWA worker making adobe bricks for the boundary wall, 1934

The CWA at Tumacácori

Before the construction of the adobe wall along the north, west, and south sides of the original monument property, cars could drive right up to the ruins. The highway connecting Tucson to Nogales, replaced in 1979 by Interstate 19, ran directly beside the church along the route of the present Frontage Road.
In 1934, construction of the boundary wall was begun by local men hired under the CWA, causing visitors to enter the park through the visitor center. With the discontinuation of the CWA at the end of March, work continued under the FERA (Federal Emergency Relief Administration).

Custodian George Boundey recorded in the February monthly report, “Men of the CWA program are working 15 hours a week. The front adobe wall is nearly completed and extensive repairs have been made to the mission building.”

Custodian George Boundey: June 1934

“We are working about 100 men here in shifts of 20 each. Each shift works 3 days in the first half of the month and 3 days in the latter half. They are paid $21.00 for their 6 days labor, which is more money than most of them have earned in years. They are making adobe blocks and hope to finish the wall entirely around the monument. We have to furnish everything but the labor.”