The Legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Michigan

by Rob Burg

In 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps as part of his “New Deal” programs to conserve our natural landscape and to improve the lives of our young men. In only nine years, the CCC Boys would plant millions of acres of forests, create national, state, and local parks, fight forest fires, build dams, and do so much more. In Michigan, more than 102,000 men, living in 125 camps throughout the state, planted more than 484 million trees, stocked fish, created Isle Royale National Park, and many state parks. Historian Rob Burg will highlight some of the successes of the CCC and their work in Michigan from 1933-42.

CCC camps in Michigan. The tents were soon replaced by barracks built by Army contractors for the enrollees. Photo from Wikipedia page on Civilian Conservation Corps.

About the Author Rob Burg

Rob Burg has been a historian/historic sites manager for the Michigan Historical Museum for more than fifteen years. Rob has managed the Hartwick Pines Logging Museum at Hartwick Pines State Park in Grayling, the Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps Museum at North Higgins Lake inRoscommon, the Tawas Point Lighthouse at Tawas Point State Park in East Tawas, and the Sanilac Petroglyphs near Bad Axe. Rob attended Eastern Michigan University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in History and also attended the Historic Preservation graduate program. Rob enjoys exploring Michigan’s outdoors, much of which is a result of the success of the CCC.

“The Legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Michigan,” Thursday, January 9, 2014, 7:00 p.m. Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum presented by Rob Burg.