The Civilian Conservation Corps

The Civilian Conservation Corps. . During the depths of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt devised a plan by which the government would create jobs for unemployed young men restoring our natural resources. On March 31, 1933, a bill establishing the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was passed and the president's goal was realized. New York State Parks took advantage of this new program to develop its facilities by creating four CCC camps at Letchworth State Park. Between 1933 and 1941, 3,000 men lived and worked at Letchworth State Park's Gibsonville, Great Bend, St. Helena, and Lower Falls camps. Visitors to Letchworth State Park can still find many reminders of the CCC's accomplishments., The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) lasted from 1933 to 1942 and was disbanded when labor resources were needed for World War II. Throughout the CCC program's existence, an estimated 2.5 to 3 million young men passed through 1,300 CCC camps., This was the site of SP 5 Great Bend Camp. The young men of Great Bend Camp: , . Constructed roads, paths, steps, , bridges, lean-tos, catch basins, and shelters. , . Installed water, sewer, electric, and phone lines. , . Initiated work on the Lower Falls footbridge. , . Salvaged 50 acres of chestnut logs. , . Removed 100 acres of fire hazards.