Hitting the Ground Running

With the simple goal of putting shovels in people's hands, the CCC is the first New-Deal program out of the gate. Created during Roosevelt's first month in office, the CCC's first camp is in operation just two weeks later.

The plan is easy to replicate, and within two months there are 1,500 camps, housing a quarter million single young men. Most are aged 18-25, from homes that are already on local relief due to job loss or hardship.

Beyond simply planting trees, work ranges from flood control and erosion prevention, to stocking streams with fish and erecting fire lookouts. With a 2-year limit on service, the supply of recruits is continually refreshed.

CCC creating jobs, 1930s

  Help for the Family
Sending a teen-age son off to a CCC camp is a godsend to working families that have lost income. The son gets valuable job training, and a great bonding experience with fellow camp-mates, with zero living expenses. The monthly pay is about one-quarter of a normal manufacturing wage, and most is sent straight home to support the family.

CCC and parks, 1930s

  Out West
Many CCC recruits are sent to national parks out west, to establish mountain trails, check erosion and reforest areas burned or logged. In addition, the CCC creates 800 state parks on lakes or ponds, with rustic picnic tables, fire pits and outhouses.


CCC roads and power lines, 1930s

  On-the-job Training
The CCC is credited with building 100,000 miles of access roads and trails, along with 40,000 bridges, which help open up national forests in the West. It builds 3,500 fire lookout stations, and erects 45,000 buildings of all sorts, many in parks.