**** What do you know about the CCC camps? The CCC camps in Washington? Did your ancestors serve in a CCC camp?

Tens of thousands of young men from all over the U.S. (both from big cities and rural towns) came together to serve in the vanguard of one of several of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” programs. The Civilian Conservation Corps was organized in April of 1933 under the authority of Congress. The program lasted until 1942 and over 2,000,000 men were enrolled overall. They enlisted for six months but could extend up to two years. They received $30 per month and had to send $25 of it home. Average camp size was 200 men and they were run in a pseudo-military fashion.

There were about 240 such camps in Washington State and they were scattered to all four corners. The above photo (thanks, Google) is of the Washtucna camp. If you’d like to know more, just ask Google.

From about 1985-1990, Ed was our neighbor and he quite loved telling stories of when he was in the CCC. He spent time in the camp near Spokane (Aubrey White Parkway…. hike/bike trail only, but if you go you can still find the fireplace remains of the camp) and enjoyed every minute of his time there. “I got fed! I was a big guy and there just wasn’t enough food at home,” he recalled.

Perhaps your ancestor served in a Washington State CCC camp during the years 1933-1942??