That Magnificent Army of Youth and Peace:

[WorseBeforeBetter]

That Magnificent Army of Youth and Peace: The Civilian Conservation Corps in North Carolina, 1933-1942

In 1933 an Act of Congress created the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to counter the hopelessness felt by millions of young men in the depth of the Great Depression. These young men (age 18 to 25) were set to the task of restoring land wasted by over farming, clear cut timbering, and erosion. The results of their efforts are recreational resources such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In this landmark study, the establishment of the CCC in North Carolina is discussed, camp life is recounted in great detail, and the accomplishments of the Corps are examined. Separate chapters present the involvement of African Americans and the Cherokee in North Carolina's CCC efforts. Ninety black-and-white illustrations bring the story of That Magnificent Army to life.

http://www.amazon.com/That-Magnificent-Army-Youth-Peace/dp/0865263299

Not sure why I'm sharing this, other than that I'm watching Dr. Jolley on a UNC-TV program right now, and he seems like such a wonderful man.

Dr. Harley Jolley …”Mr. Blue Ridge Parkway”
http://houckmedford.com/dr-harley-jolley-mr-blue-ridge-parkway/

[armed_and_liberal]

1. My Dad was in the NC CCC

He was in a CCC camp near Elkins NC beginning in 1938. He was only 15 but lied about his age to get in. The program saved quite a few families from that region. My Dad's family were coal miners and hardscrabble farmers. the 1930's were tough on them and the little bit of money the CCC jobs brought in were often the difference between the family eating and not. He started out skidding logs using a mule. He later got the chance to learn to operate a bulldozer which in turn landed him a better paying job with the TVA a couple of years later working on the Watauga dam and Reservoir project in eastern TN. After serving in WW2 he came back and worked again on the Watauga in 1946. During that time he met my mother whose family home was being destroyed by the project. Her birthplace is now under 200' of water.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

2. How interesting...

thanks for sharing that!