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OMB AOPMo ai No. :02.-0018 NPS Form 10.900•a (8-881 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service I6tionol Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number R Page P Ma--nawaKa reservoir caretaker's residence St. Joseph County IN NP.RRATI Vi; S'l A" rE r OF SIGNIFICANCE The Mishawaka reservoir caretaker's residence is an unusual manifestation of the work of the WPA in Indiana. and as such it is significant under Criterion A (in the area of social history). The building is also significant under Criterion C. as it is representative of a 1930s cottage and demonstrates typical construction methods employed by the WPA. The oricrins of the caretaker's residence begin with the construction of Mishawaka's new water storage reservoir amidst the hills south of Dragcon Trail in 1929. Rapid population growth aided by a large influx of immigrants following World War I had greatly increased demand �Dn the city's water supply. But the onset of the Great Depression prevented any further improvements until the New Deal programs introduced by President •Franklin D.koosevelt's administration provided the means for state and local uovernments to undertake public works projects. St. ,Joseph County, was the site of considerable New E-5eal activity. starting with the introducticri in 1933 of the Federal EmerctencY Relief: Administration (F RA) , which covered some rudimentary work projects. and the Public Works Administration (PWA), which funded large-scale public construction projects. in 1935 the new federal Works Progress Administration (WP. unveiled a comprehensive work relief program that provided the potential for all manner of employment, in hopes of matching the skills of the unemolr_,yed to jobs that local and state governments created. In addition to.develomixT or improving parks (including Battell Park. listed in the National Register). schools. and streets. Mishawaka applied to the WPA for several projects to upgrade the city's water system. including the expansion of sewer lines ami the -construction of a storage building for the water department. (That structure ._,till stands in the .100 block of Virgil Street.) I In 1937 %!i_hawa1-a Souaht WPA funds to construct a ,caretaker's resic-•nce for *he recently built reservoir. The city justified its unusual request by '_0' incr =he reSer'J1:"'S 1So13teld location outside the city limlCs. and that nnen -ne gates to the water Supply were rourxi disturbed in any waz'. t: J Mater ecar:ment felt comoelled to drain the reservoir ie rt r1here wa-s ti -e supToly miljht have been contaminated. The .�eeined :O be _o tuild a residence. to be 'r'ccuo-.ed by a reS :l' lbl�' Darty. :73V111C7 d11tt'.c-r lt`- c;'?1 (�ta)Ct�r. " next 1--ol;r; Y"eser !oir to .ntrudiers from r,ntter.I:K7 -he crolnds. Unlike those in • few :)thea'-C.retaker'S `hat che WPA built. the o;:cu,allts wo111d ;_e employees or the water :teoartmert. The.' -ity was ver,; car,,ful �o .ut that. nevertheless. tnis residence was to remain cuoliGi'r :.wr�i drd was teing built -or the gocx_i of the public. as a mean-- of ea,wof _ht- city water `UDOly.