A Better New Jersey: WPA's Transformative Projects, 1937

This silent film from 1937 highlights the extensive Works Progress Administration (WPA) initiatives across New Jersey. It features improvements like the development of Newark Airport, the construction of Jersey City's City Hall, and a new recreation center in Perth Amboy. The film captures the building of a reservoir in Atlantic City, educational endeavors with girls in domestic science classes, and conservation efforts in the Palisades Interstate Park with rock blasting and cabin construction. Infrastructure enhancements are shown with the grading of a bypass road near Perth Amboy, while public health measures include spraying oil on stagnant water to control mosquitoes. The film also showcases community and youth programs, like activities at Camp Hope and in nursery schools, illustrating the WPA's broad impact on improving living conditions and public facilities during the Great Depression.