WPA Structures in the Wissahickon
Virtual Presentation on Zoom
Wednesday, June 2, 7pm
During the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) funded a three-phase project to improve the Wissahickon Valley. One of many WPA projects in Fairmount Park, this particular work included the construction of outbuildings along the Wissahickon Creek including shelters, guardboxes, comfort stations, and concession stands.
Join architect Kate Cowing to learn more about the history, restoration, and reuse of these structures and the WPA’s legacy in the Wissahickon Valley Park. This virtual lecture is co-sponsored by Friends of the Wissahickon.
Kate Cowing, AIA, is both an architectural conservator and a registered architect with more than 25 years of experience in preservation architecture and is the principal of Kate Cowing Architect, LLC (wbe). Kate holds both a Bachelor of Architecture from Drexel University and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation with a concentration in architectural conservation from the University of Pennsylvania. This presentation stems from her graduate school thesis, “The Analysis and Restoration of the WPA Outbuildings in the Wissahickon Valley.” The thesis was sponsored by the Friends of the Wissahickon and subsequently became the guideline for restoration of these buildings.
Tickets are $10 for Conservancy or FOW members and $20 for non-members.