Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and the Santa Monica Conservancy will host an open house Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 4 to 6 p.m., celebrating the restoration of art and architecture created during the New Deal in the 1930s.
The event, titled "Celebrating New Deal History at Samohi," begins at Santa Monica High School's Barnum Hall, followed by visits to the 2025 Preservation Award Winners for Stewardship: the Samohi Senior Bench and Viking Warrior Statue.
Speakers include Carey Upton, facilities manager for SMMUSD, and Nina Fresco and Ruthann Lehrer from the Santa Monica Conservancy. The celebration features the first-ever art gallery installation of paintings created under the Works Progress Administration's Federal Arts Project, including a large-scale painting by renowned artist Conrad Buff titled "Westward Ho."
Barnum Hall, the school auditorium, showcases Moderne architecture and decorative artwork as one of the city's most splendid historic landmarks. The Viking Warrior statue was salvaged from demolition, restored and installed in a prominent new location. The Senior Bench, with its petrachrome murals, was also relocated and restored.
The 1930s marked transformative times in Santa Monica. The Depression was followed by the devastating Long Beach Earthquake in 1933, which severely damaged all schools and moved classroom learning to outdoor tents. Rebuilding was facilitated by federal grants under President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, with major public works carried out including construction of City Hall and the Post Office.
Public art was integral to the economic recovery program. Rebuilding school campuses resulted in WPA Moderne architecture and facility innovations, as well as new artwork. As school campuses continue to evolve, retaining visible links to the past remains important for remembering history.
Parking is available at the city parking structure at 4th Street and Olympic Boulevard, with access to Samohi at the 4th Street gate.
RSVP at https://smc.givecloud.co/samohi
Edited by SMDP Staff