The Tree Army: A Pictorial History of the Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933-1942

by Stan Cohen

The New Deal programs of President Franklin D. Roosevelt changed the life of every American from his inauguration in 1933 to the present. There is general agreement that one of the best programs established at that time was the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC was established to provide employment for some of the millions of youths who could not find jobs during the Depression years. The amount of work accomplished by the Corps in just nine years is truly staggering. We should be thankful that the government had the foresight in 1933 to establish it.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

162 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1980

Reviews

[Jo Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm pretty biased about the CCC, as one uncles was a CCC worker in Arkansas, and I have had the benefit of having probably the most beautiful workmanship put out by the CCC 45 minutes from my home. (Oh, okay, see how biased I am? :-) ) Devil's Den State Park, with it's 10 sharp switch-backs leading to a deep valley of beauty, creeks, a small lake, beautiful rock formations, forests, caves, hiking trails, log cabins, amphitheater, overlooks, picnic areas, horse trails, etc. etc. etc., has fed my and my family's souls since I went camping with my Daddy 65 years ago. It's the place I still love to picnic, walk, spend an annual R & R at one of the cabins, take my family to. So, I am most grateful to FDR for establishing the CCC, and though many of the facilities built by the workers are gone (like the mess hall, kitchen, etc.), many are still there, and ruggedly beautiful. This book, given to me in December for my birthday by my oldest child, Lisa, afforded me an entirely new appreciation of this Tree Army! These young workers, given jobs and pay of $30 a month - they sent $25 of that home to family, and had $5 a month to spend - transformed the nation, both in the moral character, and in the fabulous work left behind. What I didn't know was the these men (18-24 years of age) were taught much more than erosion, building, road, etc., skills...many learned basic math and English, reading and writing skills. They had the opportunity to also be taught 10 hours a week in other subjects, such as psychology, architecture, typing, many technical skills, geography, radio operations, auto repair, surveying, cooking, clerking, etc. etc. etc. I learned from this book that a young man could get as much or as little out of their experience as they wished. Many exited with lifelong job skills that served them well, and also provided the US Military skills during World War II that would not have been possible without the CCC experience. I also didn't know how wide-spread the CCC camps were: male camps (and a few women's) were in every state of the continental US, plus Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. FDR requested, 2 (TWO!) days after his inauguration on March 4, 1933, that the CCC be created...10 (TEN) days later, it existed...and has left its mark on our nation...I am grateful. I am also grateful for this book which broadened my knowledge and appreciation. Grabbing my jacket and off to Devil's Den State Park!

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Franklin Roosevelt assumed in presidency in 1933, the United States was in terrible economic shape. Unemployment was at roughly 25% with others underemployed and even people that were working had experienced a decline in wages. There was little demand for almost everything but the essentials, and something had to be done.
The Roosevelt administration expanded existing programs and created many new ones in an attempt to uplift the country. As is the case with any rapid action by the federal government, some of those programs were more successful than others. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was one of the most effective and it served to train hundreds of thousands of men in skills that would be needed in order for the United States to win the Second World War.
This is the story of the CCC, told mostly in pictures. Men signed up for a semi-military work program. They were housed in barracks, rousted out of bed at an early time, shuffled off to meals at the designated times and were assigned specific work details. What is not often pointed out about the CCC is that training the men in specific skills was also a part of their regimen. Many of the men had limited schooling and this was an opportunity to receive valuable training, much of which was used in their subsequent military experience.
Many of the parks, trails, buildings and erosion control projects that the CCC created are still in use today. The CCC is an example of infrastructure and human investment by the federal government that has reaped dividends several times that of the original expenditure. It is a government agency that should be the subject of more study.

[Isaac Wolter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic look at the Great Depression's creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps. It contains lots of wonderful photos as well.

[Phil Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I love the C.C.C. They built so many great things, especially state parks, I think we need to start it up again. A little more mandatory though. Make everyone at 18 that is a citizen of the U.S. enlist for at least one year to dedicate their time and efforts to giving back to society; be it forestry, building a road, cleaning up a mess. Something to help build a sense of giving to the community, a mandatory volunteer ism if you will. Anyway, I digress. This book covers only a small fraction of what the C.C.C. did during the New Deal era, but since there are so few books about the C.C.C. as a whole (most are regional, small press coverages), this is probably the most pictorially definitive so far.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book told the story of the CCC in words and pictures, although the majority of the pictures were from the author's home state of Montanta.