Happy days in C.C.C. A look back at of the Civilian Conservation Corp

[okmulch]

Jeff, we did a job at Chickasaw National Rec area in Sulphur Oklahoma. The first year we clear cut 20 acres of cedar but we left the old male cedar trees that the CCC planted when the park was being established. A year later we did another clearcut of cedar , once again leaving the groves of large mle cedar trees the CCC planted. You could tell the trees that were planted in the areabecause they were planted in groves of 3 to 6.
While we were cutting the trees we would find old foundations and rock walls throughout the area that had been built by the CCC also.

The park had us do the cutting and clearing because they wanted to restore the area back to prairie and natural grasses. 

Little did the CCC know that the cedar trees they planted would over take the prairie and turn it in to a cedar thicket.
At least 60 acres of the park is back the way it was when those trees were planted.

[jdtuttle]

I was down in Welsboro Pa. last winter & we stopped at a sawmill museum with a working sawmill powerd by water. They had a great exhibit on the CCC with lots of pictures about their daily lives. They were required to send a percentage of their pay home directly to their families. They had baseball teams that played against other camps and other friendly competitions. Long hours & lots of work too.
Sure would like to see work ethics like that again.
Jim

[timberfaller390]

my grandpaw was a CCC boy. Stationed in a fire tower in North Carolina, They were cooking breakfast one morning and a black bear came up the steps to eat with them.

[thedeeredude]

jdtuttle, I think what you're talking about might be the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum in Galeton, about an hour west of Wellsboro.  They have an original CCC cabin made of chestnut logs.  Those guys sure did work their behinds off.

[Barb]

Dale, Were we supposed to be able to open this little book and view the pictures inside?  If so, I get an error. 

From an old letter home and the letterhead I know my Dad, James Hobbs from Hazen, Arkansas worked in Brimson, MN for the CCC (719, camp 51).  We have very little else except an old picture of him and two buddies.  I would love to see what is in that little book. My Dad died in 1964. Thanks.  Barb

[Jeff]

Hi Barb, (Not sure who Dale is) ;)

Due to a software vulnerability, the gallery where those photos were, was disabled. I've went ahead and created a new place for them and you can now see them here:

https://forestryforum.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4287

Hope you find something interesting!

[Barb]

Jeff,
I apologize for getting your name wrong--It is Jeff isn't it? (Smile)  I wanted to thank you for getting the CCC pictures online.  I really enjoyed seeing them even though my dad was not there.  The letter he wrote home was dated Jan 1941 so he must have come along later.  It was fun seeing the camp though and getting some ideal about what these guys did.  Boy, it gets cold in MN!  I freeze just looking at them.  In Dad's letter he talks about having a bad cold--we people from Arkansas don't get that kind of weather.  He must have really had a terrible time adapting.

Thanks again--I appreciate it.  Barb

[den]

You also had.
The Works Progress Administration (renamed during 1939 as the Works Project Administration; WPA)

[Barb]

All these organizations did good things for our country.  If you remember at that time, we had "The Great Dust Bowl" and extreme soil erosion going on.  If it had not been for these workers reclaiming the land where would America be?  My husband and I in Arkansas own 25 acres at the foothills of the Ozarks.  The CCC must have done some work on it or that is what some of the old timers have said.  A lot of the property has been terraced--gentle steps down.  The 64 camps of CCCs in Arkansas also built some wonderful state parks.  One, Petite Jean, has a water fall that you have to hike down the side of a mountain to get to and every step down was build and cleared by the CCCs.  I'd say they earned their dollar a day, board and meals.