Marsac Elementary School

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City Hall Buildings, Historic Buildings, New Deal Funded, NRHP, park city, PWA Projects, Schools, summit county, utah

Marsac Elementary School

Built in 1935-36, the Marsac Elementary School is one of over 230 public works buildings constructed in Utah under various New Deal programs during the Depression years of the 1930s and ’40s. The construction of public works buildings, of which only 130 are extant and well preserved, not only offered temporary work relief, but also provided long-term benefits in the form of improved facilities for a variety of local public programs. The types of buildings constructed included public schools, county courthouses, city halls, libraries, National Guard armories, and a variety of others. The architects of this building were Carl W. Scott and George W. Welch, who designed numerous school buildings throughout the state, as well as a number of commercial and institutional buildings in Salt Lake City. In 1983 the building was purchased by Park City Municipal Corporation and renovated to house the city offices.

Marsac School

Park City, from its earliest days as a mining camp, was conscientious of the educational needs of its children. As early as 1875 private schools were established by the mining companies and churches. The Jefferson and Washington Schools were public institutions built to accommodate the burgeoning student population in the early 1900’s.

In 1936 Park City constructed Marsac School and consolidated its various schools at Marsac. Its 24,102 square feet was designed for 317 pupils. The facility served Park City’s educational system until 1979, when enrollment exceeded available space by about 40 students. Marsac School was deemed no longer viable for a modern educational program, and its structural and mechanical systems were judged to be inadequate or failing. Students were relocated to a new facility on the outskirts of Park City.

In 1983 Park City Municipal Corporation undertook an extensive renovation of Marsac School. It now houses city offices and continues to serve this rapidly growing community by providing adequate space for a consolidated, integrated system of city government and services.