Building a Tradition

Building a Tradition. . Especially during the difficult days of the Great Depression, Americans needed inexpensive, healthful fun. Providing such opportunities was within the mission of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a federal jobs program that improved infrastructure and conserved natural resources across the nation., Oconee's CCC-made swimming lake and bathhouse anchored the park that the workers constructed here, creating a recreation destination complete with cabins, picnic sites and more. The building offered a tearoom and rented 300 baskets in which visitors could stow their clothes before swimming., Captions , [Top] Refreshments and people-watching, ping-pong and checkers , the porch of the bathhouse was the bub of social activity at the new Oconee State Park. , [Bottom left] Since before it was built, the bathhouse was envisioned as the activity center for the park. Lifeguards stationed here filled many roles: calling square dances, organizing church services, even cleaning cabins. Before refrigeration, overnight guests even rowed boats to the nearby icehouse to get ice. , [Bottom right] Notice the work gloves and the hammer. These men from CCC Camp S-75 were photographed in 1937 as they paused during construction of the Oconee bathhouse. The building's stonework and hand-hewn beams are exemplary of CCC craftsmanship. E. W. Nettles