Our CCC Heritage

05/01/2025

Stop #7 on our tour of Texas State Parks that the CCC helped build was Texas Canyons State Park. If that name isn’t familiar to you, how about Big Bend National Park? As explained in signage at the west entrance and at the Panther Junction Visitor Center, the State of Texas acquired the lands for TCSP with the intention of creating a national park. CCC companies 896 (SP-33) and 1856 (NP-1) played a critical role in the early development of the park, building the Chisos Mountain Road into the most popular area of the park. Also noteworthy are the 5 “Hacienda Cottages” (now called “Roosevelt Stone Cottages”) that were built, but have been modernized to meet the needs of current visitors. Much of the lower campgrounds in the Chisos Mountain Basin have been updated, but the Amphitheatre still has its CCC origin on full display. We didn’t have time to hike the Lost Mine Trail, but it was recommended by several people as one of the many CCC-built trails to walk. Texas Canyons SP became Big Bend SP for a short time just before its deed was given to President Roosevelt on June 6, 1944 (D-Day!). The National Park was established on June 12, 1944.

We also visited and recommend nearby Big Bend Ranch SP which was fully opened to the public in 2007.

04/03/2025

The next stop on our tour of Texas State Parks that had significant CCC involvement was Davis Mountains SP. This park is known for its scenic road, fabulous overlooks and the “architectural masterpiece”Indian Lodge. Companys 879, 881 and 1856 worked on the park and Companies 879 and 1856 worked on Indian Lodge. Unfortunately, Indian Lodge was in the final stages of renovation and closed so we could only admire it from afar.

We also visited nearby Fort Davis National Historic Site later that day, and we can highly recommed site for those interested in the 1854-1891 history of this area.

03/31/2025

Yesterday we explored where we stayed overnight: Balmorhea SP where the CCC-built San Solomon motor court is at. Co. 1856 also built the park’s main attraction, the “world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool” taking advantage of the plentiful water coming from the San Solomon Springs. This pool is up to 25 ft deep and SCUBA classes were taught both days we were here. Fish and waterfowl enjoy the waters as much as the humans. The motor court rooms are very comfortable and we definitely recommend them. The adobe construction makes them very Southwestern. They even had some CCC related furniture, although the connection to the NYA is unclear. (Can someone say more about this?)

03/30/2025

We visited Abilene and Big Spring State Parks today. These two parks were so different. Abilene SP’s focal point was a large conventional swimming pool with a beautiful Concession Building made of red sandstone built by a Veterans unit, Co. 1823-V. The follow-on company, a colored Veterans unit, built the Water Tower to provide consistent water pressure to the park. (In more recent years ASP has added significant camping facilities, some of which are very beautiful.)

In contrast, Big Spring SP was created to take advantage of the bluffs above the town of Big Spring to provide spectacluar views of the surrounding lowlands. BSSP does not have camping facilities and is day use only. An impressive feature of BSSP is the road grade coming down from the bluff where the CCC boys cut and laid huge blocks of limestone for retaining walls. The photos don’t capture what a great accomplishment this was.

We ended up at Balmorhea SP which will be covered tomorrow.

03/29/2025

Wow! Lake Brownwood SP did not disappoint. Our visit here and to the two Texas CCC Worker Statues will be enough to make this tour a success. There are so many CCC features we gave up trying to photograph them all. The highlight was the recreation building with its observation tower. We’re sure many weddings have taken place in this venue. The Grand Staircase down to the lake is truly Grand. We had a ~1 mile hike along the lake and saw many picnic areas created by the CCC. The baseball field and basketball court are still around from the CCC days. Texas State Parks is to be commended for their care and presentation of these CCC facilities.

03/28/2025

Day two of our Texas State Parks tour took us to Possum Kingdom SP. The historical marker at the entrance tells the story of how Company 2888 came to the newly created reservoir in the last year of the CCC and did a tremendous job of building infrastructure to get the park started. Plans for other features were made but the onset of World War II created other priorities. Co 2888 was one of the last CCC units to disband. CCC features seen included the campground on the lakeshore, rock fences at entrance areas and the old entry sign now preempted by a more colorful sign.

Unfortunately, we had to drop Fort Griffin State Historic Site from our schedule; there just wasn’t enough time and this “other site” has only a limited number of CCC improvements.

We arrived late in the day at Lake Brownwood SP which promises to be one of the best parks we’ll visit. Our CCC-built cabin is very cozy with a fitered view of the lake. Texas Parks has tried to keep the cabins rustic, but, regretfully, they were unable to avoid adding AC to the cabins. The dining table and chairs were built by CCC boys. More on LBSP tomorrow.

03/27/2025

Today was the first full day of our 17 day tour of CCC sites in Texas. We’ll cover 17 state parks that the CCC worked on as well as 3 additional sites and cover 2,000+ miles. Of course we had to start at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, site of the newest CCC Worker Statue™ ( #78). This “additional site” is, unfortunately, in pretty poor shape, and the CCC improvements have degraded to be pretty much unusable. Very sad.

11/21/2024

Happy to say that there are CCC Worker Statues™ in three of the ten parks discussed in this article.

#08 Cuyahoga Valley NP
#36 Shenandoah NP
#66 Zion NP

Both beautiful and functional, projects built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s endure at national parks. NPCA shares 10 examples.

08/09/2023

The Friends of Letchworth State Park do a great job celebrating the significant contributions of the CCC in their park. Letchworth SP has an impressive collection of CCC improvements that add to the beauty of the three major waterfalls on the Genesee River. CCC Worker Statue™ #17 is located there.

LETCHWORTH STATE PARK — Part of what makes Letchworth State Park what it is today is the stonework and legacy left by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

06/08/2023

Remembering Henry “Hank” Sulima (June 8, 1920, to May 4. 2023) on what would have been his 103rd birthday.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ccclegacygroup/permalink/10159675760808668/?mibextid=W9rl1R

Hank Sulima (on right) with fellow CCC alumnus Walter Atwood and CCC Worker Statue #12 at Oconee State Park during the 2017 CCC Legacy Gathering in South Carolina

06/02/2023

Happening tomorrow! CCC Worker Statue #78 will be dedicated at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge in Texas.

Sat Jun 03 2023 at 10:00 am, Did you Texas is to receive their second CCC Worker Statue, to be located on the grounds of the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge. SAVE THE DATE SAVE THE DATE SAVE THE