The Tree Army

Not only did I get to fish one of my prized favorite Wild Waters today, but I also took some time to respect the sacrafices of others before me that had touched the area long ago. FDR Called them "The Tree Army" otherwise known as the Civilian Conservation Corps or CCC, was all over North Carolina. Here is a little information on it.

America was in the grip of the Great Depression when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated in March of 1933.  More than twenty-five percent of the population was unemployed, hungry, and without hope.  The New Deal programs instituted bold changes in the federal government that energized the economy and created an equilibrium that helped to bolster the needs of citizens.

Out of this economic chaos emerged the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Its purpose was two-fold -- conservation of our natural resources and the salvage of our young men. The CCC is recognized as the single greatest conservation program in America and it served as a catalyst to develop the very tenets of modern conservation. The work of America's young men dramatically changed the future and today we still enjoy a legacy of natural resource treasures that dot the American landscape.


3,470 fire towers erected;
97,000 miles of fire roads built;
4,235,000 man-days devoted to fighting fires;
more than 3 billion trees planted;
7,153,000 man days expended on protecting the natural habitats of wildlife; 83 camps in 15 Western states assigned 45 projects of that nature;
46 camps assigned to work under the direction of the U.S. Bureau of Agriculture Engineering;
forest improvement — timber stand inventories, surveying, and reforestation;
forest recreation development — campgrounds built, complete with picnic shelters, swimming pools, fireplaces, and restrooms.

To walk and fish on the very site where these guys worked was an honor. Imagine being dirt poor, walking into a camp with nothing but the shirt on your back not knowing what the next few months or years were going to hold? They literally changed our country, amazing! Took a few shots, caught a few fish and made untold amounts of memories!... Enjoy..John (Warning - Hero Shots!..sorry)

Ps.. Spent the end of the day in Old Fort North Carolina, had a nice dinner, walked the park and enjoyed sitting on the porch (us old dogs) of an 1880 cabin! Threw in some shots from there also.