The stock market crash of October 1929 wiped out millions of investors and sent Wall Street into an unprecedented panic. In the years that followed, consumer spending dropped, investments vanished, and industrial output declined. An estimated 15 million Americans felt the sting of unemployment. The Great Depression presented the United States with extraordinary economic struggles. But financial troubles weren’t the only issues plaguing the country. An environmental crisis loomed as well thanks to poor farming practices, destructive pests and deforestation. Despite these dark clouds hovering over the nation, a silver lining emerged – the CCC.
The Founding of the Civilian Conservation Corps
In 1933, within the first 100 days of his presidency, Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) as part of his New Deal legislation. The CCC focused on environmental conservation projects. This created jobs for unemployed young men in some of the country’s most iconic landscapes. The workers lived in camps across the country, received food, and earned a monthly income of $30, with $25 sent to their families. The young men undertook tasks such as creating hiking trails, paving roads, building cabins and lodges, establishing campgrounds, and building fire towers in National and State Parks and National Forests. An estimated three million men participated in the CCC during the program’s nine-year history. This left behind a legacy that benefits nature lovers to this day. We have the CCC to thank for countless treasures in our forests and parks. Here are some of the most notable.
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Phantom Lodge at Grand Canyon National Park
Carved by the majestic Colorado River over millions of years, the Grand Canyon lands on everyone’s bucket list. The majority of first-time visitors head to the South Rim to get a glimpse into the wonders of this national treasure. Most people never realize that the CCC placed those sturdy rock walls between you and the canyon as you meander along the South Rim trail. These young men also cut the popular Bright Angel Trail along with several others. Most notably, the Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon also exhibits their handiwork.
Architect Mary Jane Coulter originally designed Phantom Ranch, and it was completed in 1922. Over three intense winters from 1933 through 1936, the hardworking men of the CCC made unprecedented improvements to the property. Reached only by mule, on foot or by rafting the Colorado River, workers improved the access trails to the property making it safer for future visitors.
Shenandoah National Park & Skyline Drive
The CCC established some of its first camps in Shenandoah National Park and laid out much of the park’s infrastructure before it was officially designated as a National Park in 1935. Notable projects include the construction and landscaping of Skyline Drive – a picturesque mountain road running the length of the park. Picnic tables, scenic overlooks and a section of the Appalachian Trail add to their many accomplishments within the park.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park & Blue Ridge Parkway
After being impressed by the progress on the Skyline Parkway in Shenandoah, Roosevelt envisioned a road linking Shenandoah with the Great Smoky Mountains, giving birth to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The entire project took more than 50 years to complete, but the CCC was responsible for charting its course and surveying the mountains. Straddling the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was built almost entirely with CCC labor.
Hiking trails were established including park favorites like Alum Cave Trail, the Appalachian Trail and Bull Head Trail. Several fire roads and towers were erected to prevent wildfires. This includes the still accessible Mt. Cammerer Tower on Low Gap Trailhead. An excellent example of the crews’ craftsmanship can be seen in the Elkmont Bridge. This multiple arch steel and stone masonry bridge spans the Little River at Elkmont Campground. The most visited National Park in the country, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park sees over 14 million annual visitors. Every one of them drives along the 31.63-mile Newfound Gap Road, stopping to snap Instagram-worthy photos from overlooks along the way. Both the park thoroughfare and its overlooks are credited to the CCC.
Acadia National Park, Maine
From east to west, National Parks across the country benefited in countless ways from the work of these men. At 17 years old, Acadia National Park was mostly overgrown and undeveloped. Then the CCC arrived and began the necessary work to make the park safer and more accessible for visitors. If you’ve ever attempted Acadia National Park’s challenging Perpendicular Trail with its series of metal rings and ladders to assist you up and over the jagged rocks, you have the CCC to thank – and they mapped this out without the benefit of ladders or railings to prevent plummeting to the rocky ground below. The Ocean Path with vistas of Maine’s stunning coastline also exhibits a sample of the CCC’s work along with two park campgrounds.
Colonial National Historic Park, Virginia
Created by Congress and President Herbert Hoover in 1930, the Colonial National Historic Park is home to the Yorktown Battlefield, Jamestown Settlement and Colonial Parkway. Although several government agencies participated in its development, the African American young men of the CCC conducted much of the work. They demolished modern buildings, excavated sites and restored or rebuilt historic structures making significant contributions to the preservation of these celebrated sites. A 1995 Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) noted, “For a decade the CCC actively restored [CNHP’s] landscape, and much of the innovative work accomplished during the 1930s was done so only because of their involvement.”
Timberline Lodge in Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon
Rising 12,240 feet, Mount Hood captures the heart of mountain lovers on sight. But there’s another landmark in the Mount Hood National Forest worthy of recognition. The crown jewel of the CCC’s work in the forest, Timberline Lodge welcomes about two million visitors each year. A favorite of avid skiers and hikers, the lodge received a formal dedication by Roosevelt upon completion.
This is just one more example of how these incredible young men played a vital role in helping the country emerge from the gloomy clouds of the Great Depression—a silver lining indeed.
This article by Terri Marshall was originally published in Girl Camper Magazine.
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