“Civilian Conservation Corps”

After the chaos and devastation of the Great Depression, something needed to be done to address the widespread unemployment and economic hardship in our country. Enter President Franklin D. Roosevelt, with plans to restore the working class and make America prosperous once again. The Civilian Conservation Corps was put in place to create more jobs, as well as tackle needed conservation projects: reforestation, flood control, erosion control, building bridges and dams, the construction and establishment of state and national parks, and more. Not only did this program offer meaningful employment, it taught the men good work ethic and self-respect, and opportunities were granted for them to finish their educations or learn a trade. There were 148 CCC camps in Minnesota alone, employing over 70,000 young men. Our area of the state was blessed with two CCC camps: one in Lake Bronson, to build the dam that created the lake and to construct the state park, and one in Thief Lake.