The CCC was established in 1933 and lasted for only nine years. But a tremendous amount of work was completed in that timeframe and, more importantly, millions of young, able-bodied men had an opportunity to earn a decent wage. In these colorized photos from the 1930s, we will get an inside glimpse at the CCC. 

When the stock market crashed in 1929 and the Great Depression took hold of the United States, millions of people lost their jobs and their only sources of income. Homelessness and starvation were on the rise. President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced his New Deal Program, a series of initiatives designed to offer support for people who were greatly impacted by the Great Depression, such as the unemployed, the elderly, young people, and farmers. One of the ten New Deal programs was the Civilian Conservation Corps. 

The Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC, was implemented as a way to get young men, between the ages of 18 and 25, back to work. In this period of time, it was shameful to get a government handout or to accept any form of charity. Roosevelt knew this. He also knew that there was a lot of work to be done to improve America’s public lands, parks, and forests. The CCC solved both problems.

Young, able-bodied men were encouraged to enlist in the CCC. For many of them, it was an offer too good to pass up during a time when money and jobs were scarce. The workers were promised a clean place to sleep each night and three hearty meals. That alone was enough to entice many young men to join, but they also received a paycheck of $30 per week. Of that, $25 was sent directly to their families back home and the remaining $5 was given to the workers. On top of that, there were educational opportunities offered through the CCC. Young men could complete their high school education and participate in leadership workshops. Millions of young men seized the opportunity to work and earn an income as part of the CCC.

Roosevelt enlisted the help of the U.S. military to transport workers from the east to worksites in the west, although the CCC fell under the umbrella of the National Parks Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture. 

During its nine years in operation, members of the CCC worked in more than 800 parks and public areas around the country. They planted approximately three billion trees, but also cleared trees in other areas. They constructed access roads, picnic shelters, and restroom buildings in numerous parks. They built hiking trails and pathways, including steps, footbridges, and scenic overlooks. CCC workers tackled soil-erosion prevention projects, cut fire breaks, and re-seeded grasslands that had been overgrazed. They also worked on constructing fisheries, water storage retention ponds, and wildlife refuges. It was hard work. The workers were outdoors for much of their days, enduring the heat of summer and the cold of winter. They were far from home, living in military-like barracks in the wilderness. Most of them, however, felt fortunate to have a job, learn new skills, and send much-needed money back home to their families.

Ending the CCC

The CCC has been called the most successful of Roosevelt’s New Deal programs. The start of World War II, however, put an end to the program. Through the CCC, the federal government was able to put money in the hands of the American public, albeit they had to work for it – it wasn’t a hand-out. This helped to stimulate the economy. The young men who participated in the CCC earned a sense of pride in knowing that they were making an honest pay that was helping their families, but they also took pride in the fact that they were helping to make their country a better place. The work accomplished by the CCC helped to make America’s national and state parks systems a crowning jewel of the country.