The CCC at Palo Duro Canyon State Park
THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS
AT PALO DURO CANYON STATE PARK
THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS (CCC) WAS A NEW DEAL
PROGRAM DEVELOPED UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT TO PROVIDE JOBS TO THE UNEMPLOYED
DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION OF THE 1930s. THE PROGRAM WAS
INITIALLY DESIGNED TO EMPLOY YOUNG MEN AND LATER GREW TO
INCLUDE WORLD WAR I VETERANS. THE CCC WAS JUST WHAT WAS
NEEDED TO IMPROVE THE 15,000 ACRES THAT HAD BEEN RECENTLY
ACQUIRED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
PALO DURO CANYON STATE PARK. THE FIRST THREE COMPANIES OF
CCC ENROLLEES, MADE UP OF WORLD WAR 1 VETERANS, ARRIVED IN
AMARILLO VIA TRAIN ON JULY 11 AND 12, 1933 AFTER SETTING UP
THEIR CAMP THE FIRST TASK FOR THE EARLY WORKERS WAS THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD FROM THE RIM OF THE CANYON TO
ITS FLOOR. THE FOURTH VETERANS COMPANY ARRIVED IN
DECEMBER OF 1933.
THE EARLY VETERANS GROUPS AT THE CANYON WERE INITIAL
INTEGRATED BUT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN TROOPS WERE
REASSIGNED TO SWEETWATER, TEXAS IN 1934. TWO COMPANIES OF
SEGREGATED AFRICAN AMERICAN ENROLLEES ARRIVED FROM EAST
TEXAS IN AUGUST 1935. THE FINAL GROUP OF WORKERS TO LABOR
IN THE CANYON WAS COMPRISED OF YOUTH MEMBERS, AND WHEN
THE GROUP LEFT THE PARK IN DECEMBER 1937, THE PROJECT AT
PALO DURO CANYON WAS ONE OF THE FEW TO INCLUDE WORKERS
FROM EACH OF THE THREE SPECIAL GROUPS VETERANS, AFRICAN
AMERICANS AND JUVENILES.
THE PROJECTS COMPLETED BY THE CCC FROM 1933 UNTIL 1937
INCLUDE PUBLIC BUILDINGS (SUCH AS EL CORONADO LODGE) AND
CABINS CONSTRUCTED OF NATIVE SANDSTONE, ROADS, BRIDGES
CULVERTS AND HIKING AND BRIDLE TRAILS, MANY OF WHICH ARE
STILL IN USE TODAY
MARKER IS PROPERTY OF THE STATE O TEXAS
Submitted by @AnjaTEAgle.