20. The legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps
One must but open one’s eyes in one of America’ National Parks, most of its state parks, and in many of its community parks, to observe the legacy of the CCC. During its existence, the men of which it was comprised planted over 3 billion trees, in parks, along roadways, and lining city streets. One of the largest urban parks in the United States, Cincinnati’s Mount Airy Forest, was built almost entirely by the CCC; until the early 21st century the former CCC camp served as a homeless men’s rehabilitation center. Many of the former CCC camps still stand, at least partially, restored as museums or recreational facilities.
Some camps, such as Rabideau Camp in Minnesota’s Chippewa National Forest, continue to serve the public as education centers. The Camp for the CCC members who built New Hampshire’s Bear Brook State Park now serves as the administration facility for the park, and provides a museum describing the park and its construction to the public. Several states have within their community’s monuments and memorials dedicated to the CCC, inarguably one of the most successful federal programs ever established by the United States government. It gave hope, work, housing, and sustenance for over 3,000,000 out of work American men during the course of its existence while literally changing the landscape of the United States, and of its history.
Where do we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“The Civilian Conservation Corps CCC 1933-1942: a New Deal Case Study”. John A. Salmond. 1967
“Franklin D. Roosevelt: Launching the New Deal”. Frank Freidel. 1973
“In the Shadow of the Mountain: The Spirit of the CCC”. Edwin G. Hill. 1990
“The Indian and the CCC”. Donald L. Parman, Pacific Historical Review. February, 1971
“Public Opinion, 1935-1946”. Edited by Hadley Cantril and Mildred Strunk. 1951
“Objectives and Results of the Civilian Conservation Corps Program”. Robert Fechner, Director. 1938
“Roosevelt’s Forest Army: A History of the Civilian Conservation Corps”. Perry H. Merrill. 1981
“Forgotten Men: The Civilian Conservation Corps”. Robert Allen Ermentrout. 1982
“Camp Roosevelt, NF-1”. Article, CCClegacy.org. Online
“Your CCC, A Handbook for Enrollees”, Happy Days. 1940
“First CCC Camp in the Nation”. Lee District Office, George Washington National Forest. 2001. Online
“Robert Fechner, Head of CCC, Dies”. Staff, The New York Times. January 1, 1940
“Civilian Conservation Corps”. The American Experience, Public Broadcasting System. 1988