Fort Peck Original Houses Historic District

Introduction

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This historic district consists of 12 homes built in 1934 for some of the workers (and their families) who built the Fort Peck Dam. The dam was constructed between 1933 and 1940 and was one of the largest projects undertaken by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), one of the federal agencies the federal government created during the Great Depression. The WPA and other agencies were a part of the "New Deal" federal government initiative that provided jobs to millions of Americans in the 1930s. The houses symbolize the impact of the New Deal in Montana and are also good examples of the Cottage Picturesque style. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

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Built in 1934, the 12 houses in the district served as physical reminders of the New Deal's impact in Montana.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

While the government built the houses in the same style, they are varied in their appearance in order to create an attractive place for workers and their families to live. They are also located on the U-shaped Kansas Street, which adds to the neighborhood's appeal. The houses, which were designed in various configurations of the Cottage Picturesque style, are one-story tall and feature gabled and hipped roofs.

At its peak, there were approximately 10,000 to 11,000 workers building the dam at one time. Not all of them lived in Fort Peck as the government did not expect the large numbers of families that would come to Montana. In fact, many were forced to live in shantytowns, where there was no electricity or safe drinking water. In all, around 40,000 people lived in the area.

Sources

Otto, Rebecca J. "Fort Peck Original Houses Historic District." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. August 13, 1986. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/86002067_text.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Jon Roanhaus, via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fort_Peck_Original_Houses_HD_NRHP_86002067_Valley_County,_MT.jpg