Be sure to sign up for the weekly RV Travel Newsletter, published continuously every Saturday since 2001. Click here.
Huge RV parts & accessories store!
You have never seen so many RV parts and accessories in one place! And, Wow! Check out those low prices! Click to shop or browse!

Monday, December 24, 2012

Video recalls Civilian Conservation Corps park building projects

If you've traveled much in your RV, you've probably stayed in a state park or other facility built by the CCC--the Civilian Conservation Corps. Sad to say, time is outpacing many of the folks who worked on these Depression-era programs, and many younger ones today have never heard of it.



Indiana's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) administers the state's park system, and so has first-hand connections with the CCC. Indiana had 56 CCC camps. The program was segregated, and eight of Indiana’s camps were African- American. With about 250 men, the 517th Company was the largest such camp in Indiana. It helped build what is now O’Bannon Woods State Park and helped victims of the 1937 Ohio River flood.

To keep history alive, the DNR has produced a fascinating video documentary about the projects and workers of the CCC, including interviews with some who had hands-on experiences "back in the day."

The video runs 23 minutes, so be sure you have a dependable (and fast) Internet connection.
Posted by at

7 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 5, 2013 at 7:35 AM

    It would be great to reestablish the w.p.a. and put people to work on meaningful things again.

    Drew

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJanuary 5, 2013 at 10:02 AM

      I have been blessed by the work the CCC men did by enjoying the continuing beauty they created in State Parks, especialy in the state of Arkansas. Thanks guys!
      GMac, NM

      Delete
  2. LeeJanuary 5, 2013 at 10:56 AM

    Thanks for showing that. We could use something like that NOW.....

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 5, 2013 at 11:37 AM

    I have said the same thing...we need to get this program going again. Our country needs fixing from trails to bridges and what a better way than to get people out of work doing something and teaching young kids a good work ethic. Like boot camp it will teach you to work hard and get in shape while helping to build something you will forever be proud of.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJanuary 5, 2013 at 4:14 PM

    There are a lot of young people who have problems in school situations who could learn from the masters and hopefully when they completed the project, will have learned enough to find a well paying job.

    The old hospital at Fort Sam Houston, TX was a CCC or WPA project. Several of the state and federal parks in Texas were built by both programs.

    Wonder if both parties would listen to us make a suggestion to help with unemployed old and young individuals and to not lose the knowledge of the master craftsmen.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousJanuary 5, 2013 at 6:20 PM

    The unions would not alow them to day.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJanuary 5, 2013 at 7:01 PM

    My Dad was in the CCC in Massachusetts. When we camped, many moons back, my Dad took me to a lot of campgrounds that he worked on. Later on we started to travel all over New England stopping at state campgrounds built by the CCC. They built some great places.
    We could use something like the CCC now to get people working & build/re-build our country.

    ReplyDelete

Your comment has been received and will be posted shortly, after our moderator has determined it is not spam (we get a lot of that, sad to say).

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)