Washington Gymnasium

Washington, Hempstead County

A 1940 gymnasium built by WPA (Works Progress Administration) workers at the tail end of the Great Depression in Historic Washington State Park, a living-history museum in the town of Washington, or what Arkansans call "Old Washington," in the southern state of Arkansas — Photo: Highsmith, Carol M., Library of Congress (no known restrictions) License. Source

After the county seat moved to Hope, Washington's school moved into the empty 1874 courthouse, and in 1940 the WPA helped build this gym next door. It is now used as an event venue.

Kind of place: Schools, gyms and job training
Built by: Works Progress Administration (WPA)
When: About 1940
Where: Washington, Hempstead County
Still there?: Not confirmed lately

See it on the map Been here? Tell us

Sources

Living New Deal: Gymnasium - Washington AR

Part of Rediscovering Arkansas’s New Deal, a public map of 1930s New Deal work across all 75 counties. Updated 2026-10-14.