Portageville in Livingston County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Site of Camp 23, Sp 5 - Letchworth State Park's first camp
Photographed by Bruce Kelly, August 20, 2021
1. Site of Camp 23, Sp 5 - Letchworth State Park's first camp Marker
Letchworth State Park's first Civilian Conservation Corps Camp opened on June 19, 1933 when enrollees arrived to set up a temporary tent "city" in a field next to what became their "permanent" camp. Camp 23 SP (State Park) 5, also called Big Bend or Great Bend Camp, was officially dedicated on December 14, 1933.
The camp consisted of at least twenty buildings, including five barracks, mess hall, recreation hall, quarters for officers and civilian employees, an infirmary, latrine, and its own butcher shop, laundry, and garage. In addition to their other work, enrollees built their own water system that captured water from nearby springs. This camp was named the top CCC Camp in the 2nd Corps area (New York, New Jersey, and Delaware) and was visited by National CCC Director Robert Fechner in March 1935.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Horticulture & Forestry • Parks & Recreational Areas. In addition, it is included in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) series list. A significant historical date for this entry is June 19, 1933.
Location.
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Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York, specifically in Western New York, in the Finger Lakes, and in the Rochester Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Civilian Conservation Corps (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to Big Bend Camp 23, SP 5 (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); The men of the Civilian Conservation Corps (approx. 0.9 miles away); Lower Falls Camp SP-49 (approx. 0.9 miles away); CCC Statue (approx. 0.9 miles away); Life in Lower Falls Camp 49 (approx. 0.9 miles away); The Lower Falls Footbridge (approx. 0.9 miles away); Life and Leisure in a CCC Camp (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portageville.
Also see . . . Letchworth Park History. CCC Work Projects in Letchworth State Park at Great Bend Camp SP-5 (in operation for 30 months). (Submitted on October 30, 2021, by Bruce Kelly of Perry, New York.)
Photographed by Bruce Kelly, August 15, 2021
2. Marker Detail
The Big Bend Camp 23 in the summer of 1934. The chimney on the Recreation Building to the left was restored by the Friends of Letchworth Park in 2018 and is located down the path. Cabin Area E is to the top left of this photo.
Photographed by Bruce Kelly, August 15, 2021
3. Marker Detail
Robert Fechner (center in photograph and insert,) the National Director of the CCC, toured the camp in March 1935. "The Director was very much impressed with Camp 23...," an enrollee reported in the April 2nd issue of the camp newspaper The 23 Skidoo. "In his talk to the enrollees on the purpose of the Civilian Conservation Corps, he stated it was one of the outstanding camps of the entire country."
Photographed by Bruce Kelly, August 15, 2021
4. Marker Detail
The laundry at Camp 23 manned by two of the enrollees. In many ways, each CCC camp was a self-sufficient community.
Photographed by Bruce Kelly, August 15, 2021
5. Marker Detail
Members of Camp 23 drilling for a parade in nearby Warsaw NY. The CCC was sometimes called "Roosevelt's Tree Army" but their drilling was with double-bladed axes, not rifles. Many enrollees did later enlist in the army after the United States entered World War II.
Photographed by Bruce Kelly, August 20, 2021
6. Site of Camp 23, Sp 5 - Letchworth State Park's first camp Marker
Looking from E Cabin Rd, The chimney on the Recreation Building, referred to in the first photo, can be seen down the path.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 20, 2021, by Bruce Kelly of Perry, New York. This page has been viewed 341 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on August 20, 2021, by Bruce Kelly of Perry, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
