A Better Illinois: WPA's Transformative Projects, 1937

This silent film from 1937 highlights the extensive range of Works Progress Administration (WPA) initiatives in Illinois, aimed at enhancing infrastructure, public health, and cultural heritage. The film begins with the construction of a dam in Greenville, followed by scenes of urban improvement where city streets are being paved with brick and sewer systems installed. It then shows the development of an airport with grading and drainage work. Social welfare is addressed through scenes in a WPA sewing room and a cannery jointly operated with the National Youth Administration, where peaches are being canned. Public health initiatives are depicted with the operation of a WPA trachoma clinic. Infrastructure enhancements continue with the grading and resurfacing of county roads. Finally, the film celebrates cultural preservation with the restoration of Abraham Lincoln landmarks in New Salem and features the Lincoln shrine in Springfield, alongside scenes of children enjoying new playground facilities, illustrating the WPA's broad impact on Illinois during the Great Depression.