By Dr. Robert Norman, Clinical Professor, Dermatology, Nova Southeastern University
In 1936, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) began restoring the buildings at the fort in 1936 with impetus from the New Deal proclamation of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The action put thousands of Americans back to work refurbishing the nation’s parks and resources amidst the stagnation of the Great Depression. I have been to many of the CCC restored parks and marvel at the workmanship and united efforts of those who participated.
I have written in these pages before about the CCC in articles about Fort Clinch State Park, Hillsborough River State Park, and O’Leno State Park. I stayed in a CCC-built cabin at Myakka River State Park and became fascinated with the history.
“In Florida, 50,000 young men from poverty-stricken families earned $30 a month while receiving food and housing as they worked ($25 was to be sent home). Each had to sign up for at least six months.
The speed with which this program took shape is breath-taking. FDR was inaugurated as president on March 4, 1933. He proposed the CCC on March 9. Congress authorized it March 27. On April 7, the first men were enrolled and began serving. Eventually, more than 3 million men ages 17 to 28 served in the CCC.” (from the Floridarambler.com)
In Highlands County, at mostly what is Highlands Hammock State Park, they used 3.4 million man-hours and worked from June 1934-December 1941 building 30 structures including houses, bridges, workshops, a greenhouse, restrooms, pavilions, recreation hall, mess hall, water towers and water lines. They also constructed drainage ditches, roads, cattleguards, fences, a sawmill including a kiln, and trails and ponds. In addition, they fought fires and potted, grew and planted 2500 varieties of plants. Enrollees reforested wastelands, developed new recreational facilities, aided in the control of erosion of farms and improved conditions for wildlife. More than 49,000 men from the state were enrolled in 73 camps for an operation with a total financial obligation within the state of Florida of more than $34 million.
As you travel Florida and explore its award-winning state parks, take special note of the buildings, trails,
and other amenities we still enjoy because of the work of the CCC. There are CCC projects in nine state parks, and one, Highland Hammocks in Sebring, has a fascinating museum devoted to the history of the CCC in Florida.
The CCC developed state parks in all 50 states and established 800 state parks. Many of the illiterate enrollees were taught to read and write.
The Civilian Conservation Corps was one of the most successful New Deal programs of the Great Depression. This social employment program existed for fewer than 10 years, but left a legacy of strong, handsome roads, bridges, and buildings throughout the United States, and untold memories, stories and pictures among its participants. Between 1933 and 1941, more than 3,000,000 men served in the CCC.
Could we consider a project like this today?
Where can you see these marvels of Florida?
Get out into The Great Florida Outdoors
Dr. Norman’s focus is on ecology, conservation, nature writing and photography, and natural history. He is a graduate of the Advanced Master Naturalist program from the University of Florida and has written the book Ocala National Forest (Arcadia Publishing). He writes a monthly newspaper column called “The Great Florida Outdoors” that goes to over 100,000 households. In December of 2015 he helped with the founding of the Silver Springs Forest. Dr. Norman has created films about the Hillsborough River and other nature subjects that are used in outdoors education and schools and a new film that is a companion to his book Reading the Florida Landscape.
Dr. Norman is an advanced master naturalist graduate of the FMNP program from UF and a board-certified dermatologist based in Tampa and Riverview. He can be reached at 813-880-7546.
70 books (series editor of 39) ● 300+ articles ● 150 Lectures and Blogs
45 videos and films ● 18 photo calendars and exhibits ● 4 music CDs
Tampa Bay Medical Hero Award (2008)
● Hadassah Humanitarian Award (2012)
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