Les Droge - History of the CCC

History of the CCC

by Les Droge

After the stock market crash in 1929 and the closing of the banks; the next ten years became known as the dirty thirties. The mid-west had a 5 or 6 year drought. Dust storms were common in the mid-west. We were in a depression, jobs were not available and the majority of families had trouble putting food on the table. In 1933 Franklin Roosevelt was elected president and promised the nation a New Deal. Congress cooperated with him and one of the things they did was to establish the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Starting in April 1933, each Infantry Corps area in the U.S. was responsible for taking in volunteers and formulating CCC Co's of approximately 200 men each. The Seventh Corps area consisted of Kansas and Missouri. Between the dates of 4-11-33 and 1-1-38 59, Companies were formulated in this Corps area. Forty-four Companies in Missouri, Thirteen companies in Kansas and two regular army Companies.

About 3 million young men nationwide enrolled in this "civilian conservation corps" during its nine-year history. Members of the civilian conservation corps planted billions of trees and saved millions o acres of land from erosion. The workers of the CCC under the direction of the U.S. Departments of Labor, Agriculture, Interior and the Military literally helped build or re-build America's park system. They worked in all the major National Parks and in most cases made them what they are today with their beautiful trails, roads, overlooks, and stone walls. They restored 3,980 historical structures, beautified most of the Civil War Battlefields, built a large portion of the Appalachian Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway, built 42 of the major wildlife Refuges and worked on 257 more.

Equally important, the CCC took millions of unemployed young men off the streets, gave them hope, helped them to be self-supporting and built self-respect. Many learned to read and write, obtained diplomas or learned a trade. For about one dollar per day, young men in need of work were sent to every state and territory of the United States to work on conservation projects, fight fires, assist with emergency disasters, build roads, bridges, and many historic buildings and at the same time assist their families.

Every month $25 was sent home to their families and the CCC enrollees would receive $5. Housing, food, clothing and supplies were provided by the government. Along with these benefits, the CCC offered many workers experience and skills that would last a lifetime.

It was the start of the World War II that signaled the end of funding for the CCC in 1942.