New Deal in Mississippi: Carrollton Community House

Carrollton’s rustic style community house was constructed of native pine logs in 1935-1936 by the Works Progress Administration. Carroll Van West, who has documented a number of New Deal Administration works in Tennessee, indicates that the two primary architectural styles associated with depression-era buildings were the “government rustic” and PWA Moderne or WPA Moderne, depending upon which agency funded the construction. The rustic style originated in the early park designs, using the natural resources of timber and stone, thought appropriate for a concept of “rising out of the ground.”

Superintendent of construction was David Felts, a builder and contractor from Carrollton. The community house was restored in 2001, and received the 2002 Heritage Award of Merit for restoration (Mississippi Heritage Trust).