| Address: | Second and Lloyd Streets, Hugo, Oklahoma | County: | Choctaw |
| Started: | Completed: | 1939 | |
| Agencies: | WPA | NRHP: | No |
Current Usage:
School Property
Description:
The athletic field at Hugo is comprised of a football gridiron and a red cinder track. At the south edge of the field is the stadium, which is rectangular and measures 294 feet by 32 feet. The three exterior walls of the stadium are constructed of untooled and uncoursed native sandstone, while the ten tiers of the stands are made of poured concrete. Rock selection and placement on the walls is such that the masonry has become an art form. Entry to the stadium is achieved by three runways under the stands. Doors on either end of the structure open to dressing and storage rooms. Attached to the stadium and enclosing the entire field and track is a spectacular seven foot high fence constructed of untooled and uncoursed native sandstone. Ellipitical and at least twelve inches thick, the fence in its masonry and expanse is a work of art. The addition of a press box to the top of the stadium, fortunately, has not impeached the architectural integrity of the entire facility.
As a WPA project, the Hugo Athletic Field and Stadium is unique in its scale and its high level of workmanship. It is also significant because it demonstrates the varied dimension of the agency’s building program and its interpretation of “useful” public works. At a time when spirits and self-esteem were low, the field and stadium promoted sporting events that enabled Hugo residents to forget their problems and cheer for winners, providing the genesis of a fierce football tradition still evident in the community. Architecturally the athletic facility is significant within Hugo as to type, scale, WPA style, materials and workmanship. Construction of it also provided a host of jobs for destitute workers who would have had no food and no hope without the work program.
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