“I’ll always be thankful that I had a chance to come to the C.C. camp…I learned a lot of things I otherwise would not have had the opportunity to learn…In my own thinking I wish these sort of programs would have continued because I see a lot of need for young people who would benefit from the lifestyle of a C.C. camp.”
Fred Rothenberger, NP-1 alumni

Civilian Conservation Corps

• A New Deal for the American People
• Changing the Nation
• Changing the Park
• The Work and Play of Camp Wind Cave
• Then and Now
• Changing Lives

Transformation

Superintendent Edward D. Freeland (1931-1939) witnessed the transformation of the park and the lives of local men during the hard depression years. The Corps improved many suffering South Dakota communities. New camps boosted local economies and young men from rural areas learned trades and became disciplined, educated citizens.

The Civilian Conservation Corps changed the lives of the enrollees, their families, and surrounding communities. Park visitors from across the nation have benefited from their work.