Barbara Brotman had a column in the March 19th Chicago Tribune about the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) established during the Great depression to get Americans back to work. Written in the depths of the current economic downturn, she calls for it to be brought back.
The CCC, also referred to as "Roosevelt's Tree Army" did double duty, providing employment for some 8 million young men between 1933 and 1942, and protected America's natural resources. "They planted trees, built roads, forest fire towers, protected streams from erosion, built 800 parks and nearly 52,000 acres of campgrounds."
In Illinois alone, 60 million trees were planted and 1,192 miles of trails blazed. The famous Skokie Lagoons were CCC projects and lots and lots of those picnic shelters in the Cook County Forest Preserve District are their projects.
At least 8 Tree Army camps were located in Cook County (Chicago) where they lived in barrack-like dorms and led a military-style life (great training for the upcoming war).
Quite a few projects involving Route 66 were theirs as well.
Sadly, with each passing year, fewer and fewer people know about this institution.
More Building to Come. --Cooter
No comments:
Post a Comment