 |
| |
Between March of 1933 and
June of 1944 The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) provided jobs for
thousands of unemployed young men, supported families across depression
weary America, and stimulated the economy of countless local communities.
Often called "Roosevelt’s Tree Army" because of its
focus on reforestation efforts, the CCC did much more than plant trees.
Three thousand fire towers were constructed, 97,000 miles of fire
roads were built. Over 4 million man-hours were devoted to fire fighting.
Erosion was arrested on more than twenty million acres. At its peak
in 1935 there were 500,000 enrollees in 2,600 camps across the United
States.
The newly authorized Mammoth Cave National Park was the site of the
first CCC camp in Kentucky. Camp 1 was established in May of 1933
on the site of the former Bluegrass Country Club. Eventually three
other camps would be established. In a collaborative effort of the
Department of the Interior, the Labor Department and the War Department,
the CCC program laid the foundation for Mammoth Cave National Park.
By the time the park was dedicated in 1941, the CCC had constructed
water lines, a modern sewage system, telephone lines, picnic areas,
maintenance buildings and park residences. Miles of park roads were
improved. Cave tour route trails were constructed and hiking trails
on the surface were established. Thousands of acres of former farmland
was reclaimed by controlling erosion, planning trees, and removing
hundreds of structures and miles of fences.
Mammoth Cave National Park and millions of people who have since come
and enjoyed the wonders of the world’s longest cave continue
to benefit from these efforts. This web-site commemorates their contribution
and is an expression of our deep appreciation. |
...... |
|
x
|
.