Civilian Conservation Corps

 Upstairs in the visitor information center in Hill City, South Dakota is the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum for the Black Hills. I have noticed some items in National Park Service gift shops related to the CCC. Perhaps a day late as the young men who served in this depression era program still living are few. If you visit national parks, forests, or similar Federal government areas you may well see the efforts of the CCC.

The father of a good friend served in the CCC and the rumor was that this was the reason he could not do carpentry with any wood smaller than a 2X4. These young men built their own camps and then went to clear woods, build bridges, dams, as well as other things. The picturesque stone bridges on park roads may well be a legacy of the CCC.

The organization was quasi-military. Work parties were led by junior military officers to give them command experience they would not get in a small peacetime army. The young men got a job at a time when there was no work. The pay was a dollar a day
and almost all of that was sent to their families to help out in the hard times. The worker got three meals and a "flop" (place to sleep). Camps also had recreation halls and educational programs were provided. An enlistment was for six months and if the experience/training did not provide an opportunity in the outside world, you could reenlist for another six months.