Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Wistful Wednesday: CCC Camp 1936


The Civilian Conservation Corps was part of the New Deal proposed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was a public relief program for unemployed men after the Great Depression. The CCC workers worked on natural resource conservation from 1933 to 1942. They built buildings and made roads and trails in State and National Parks.

Far Guys Dad worked in the CCC Camp at Lake Itasca in 1936. He recalled a really cold winter. The deer were starving, so they were told to distribute hay bales, the deer kept dying, but their bellies were full of hay. Deer cannot digest hay in the winter their stomachs are used to twigs and what ever else they can browse. In the spring he helped to plant trees and clear out trails around the Headwaters of the Mississippi.

This photograph was taken on February 10, 1936. On the back of the photo is the date and this notation. 52 BELOW ZERO.

I am hoping that my Grandchildren will take note of this story someday, perhaps one day when they walk across the rocks of the Headwaters on a warm day they will have a new appreciation for the cool shade of the tree lined walkway back to the parking lot:)

10 comments:

DayPhoto said...

This in an interesting post. We have several areas around here built by 'the guys' that I should post about.

Work is the real gift to the economy, job that pay. This is one that helped Delta and other places.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/

Anonymous said...

MINUS 52 ?? Oh - that must be in F - but still.. that is pretty darn cold!

The poor deer!

Anonymous said...

How very fascinating. Wonderful that you have that pic to share with us and your family.

Unknown said...

My uncle worked for the CCC. All I knew about it was he planted lots of trees in Kentucky. I've also heard these men have CCC reunions.

Also, I saw my first Robin today! I just had to share that;D

RURAL said...

So true.

Jen

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful picture.

Bren Haas said...

This is fabulous.... wonderful photos of winter.
hope you find the time to stop by my garden sometime.

The W.O.W. factor! said...

The CCC did a ton of great things, along with providing work. Love this old photo.

Anonymous said...

wow.. - 52 and here i am stressing we're getting 3-6 more inches of snow today... great photo

gp in mt

Nancy M. said...

Awesome picture! My father was in the CC camps too! I find everything they did to be so interesting.