CCC Oral Histories

CCC Work Crew Aboard NPS Solid Tired Truck
A CCC work crew posing for a picture on a work truck.

NPS Archives

 
What was life like at a CCC camp? What did you eat? What did you do for fun? What was the work like? Learn the answers to these questions and more from the people who lived it. The following oral histories, available as downloadable pdfs, are from men who served in the CCC at and around Shenandoah National Park. Their combined experiences tell the story of a generation.
 

Alumni CCC 1977 (35kb pdf) - Taped during the Annual Shenandoah National Park CCC Reunion on September 24, 1977.

Egbert Beck (36kb pdf) - Egbert Bect served in the CCC from 1941-1942, when the CCC disbanded. Soon after Beck joined the army during World War II. Recorded September 25, 1999.

James Borden (56kb pdf) - Born in Front Royal, James Borden recounts growing up around the development of Shenandoah National Park. Recorded May 4, 1999.

Preston Breeden & Tyree Gryden (55kb pdf) - Preston Breeden served in the CCC from 1937-1939, at Camp-12, NP-12. Breeden was born near where the Pocosin Shelter currently stands. Breeden graded fire trails and planted trees along Skyline Drive. Tyree Gryden joined the CCC during the depression and was a driver in the army division. Recorded September 25, 1999.

Ashton Burress (56kb pdf) - Ashton Burress was born on a farm in Bumpass, Virginia, and served in the CCC from 1934-1936 at Camp Roosevelt, the first CCC camp in the United states. Recorded September 27, 1998.

James Creasy (59kb pdf) - James Creasy was born in Fluvanna County in 1918, joined the CCC at Camp 12 when he was 18, and stayed in for two and a half years. Recorded September 25, 1999.

Clinton Dean (94kb pdf) - Clinton Dean served in the CCC from 1937-1939, at Camp 3 at the South River Picnic Ground. Recorded October 1, 1995.

Arthur Emory (64kb pdf) - Arthur Emory was born in Savage, Virginia and served in the CCC at Skyland, NP-1, from 1935-1936 as a driver. Recorded September 27, 1998.

Arthur Emory et al. (244kb pdf) - A group interview with Arthur Emory, James G. Gecoma, Larry McGlynn, and Stanley Rozmus. Emory was stationed at Camp NP-1, Skyland, from September 1935-36. The others were stationed at Camp NP10, Pinnacles: McGlynn from 1936-37 and again from 1939-40, Kulynych from 1939-40, and Gecoma and Rozmus in 1941. All the men relate how they joined the CC to help out their families, still struggling from the effects of the Great Depression. They discuss the general atmosphere of the camp, the organization, and hardships. Recorded September 28, 1997.

Louis Hacker (69kb pdf) Louis Hacker was born in Copley, Pennsylvania and served in the CCC in 1937. Hacker worked on clearing the fire lines. Recorded September 27, 1998.

Cecil Haney (257 kb pdf) - Cecil Haney served in the CCC for almost five years beginning in 1933. He began as an enrollee, then continued as a Local Experienced Member (LEM) and also served 15 months under an assumed name. His primary job was developing water sources for developed areas in the Park, but also touches on wildlife, the mountain residents he knew, and the meadow. Recorded October 28, 1997.

W. Curly Harvey (47kb pdf) - W. Curly Harvey was born in Corinth, West Virginia and served in the CCC from 1934-1939, eventually becoming one of the camp leaders. Recorded September 25, 1999.

Milton Knapp (37kb pdf) - Milton Knapp was born in East Peoria, Illinois, grew up in Daytona Beach, Florida, and served in the CCC from 1935-1939 at Chewacla State Park in Alabama. Later was involved in a national CCC group that organizes volunteer events and reunions. Recorded September 25, 1999.

John Kochan (32kb pdf) - John Kochan was born in Pennsylvania and served in the CCC from 1941 until the CCC was disbanded. Kochan served in many posts around the country doing forestry work. Recorded September 25, 1999.

John Lambert (82kb pdf) - John Lambert is from Virginia and served in the CCC from 1934-1937 at Camp NP-1 at Skyland. He worked on trails and discusses life in the CCC. Upon leaving the CCC he was a driver for Addie Pollock then served in World War II. Recorded December 5, 1994.

Earl Leek (26kb pdf) - Earl Leek was a member of the Civilian Carpenter Corps that built the CCC camp at Skyland from 1933-1934. Recorded September 25, 1999.

Isaac Louderback (85kb pdf) - Isaac Louderback was born in Page County and served in the CCC from 1933-1937. He worked as a local woodsman at Camp NP-2 in Big Meadows. Recorded September 30, 1995.

Willam Massy (49kb pdf) - William Massy was born in Lake Anna, Virginia and joined the CCC in 1933, soon after it was established. Recorded September 25, 1999.

Lutrie McDonald (46kb pdf) - Lurtie McDonald was born near Elkton Virginia and served in the CCC between 1934-1939 where he worked on trails and landscaping. Recorded September 25, 1999.

Lawrence McGlynn (109kb pdf) - Lawrence McGlynn was from Pennsylvania and served in the CCC from 1936-1940. At Shenandoah he was stationed at Camp NP-10 in Pinnacles and worked driving trucks. He recalls life in the camp including being a part of a small band. Recorded September 29, 1996.

Edward Mokan (46kb pdf) - Edward Moken was from Pennsylvania and joined the CCC for a year in 1938 after stealing a car and being given a choice to either join or go to jail. He later joined the military in World War II and reflects on the positive influence of the CCC on his life. Recorded September 25, 1999.

George Moody (69kb pdf) - George Moody was from Virginia and served in the CCC from 1937-1937 at Camp NP-2 at Big Meadows. He removed trees in the meadow and later became a cook. Recorded September 30, 1995.

Edward Morgan (42kb pdf) - Edward Morgan was from Pennsylvania and served in the CCC at Camp NP-1 in 1939. Recorded September, 25, 1999.

Mearl E. Moss (49kb pdf) - Mearl E. Moss was from Pennsylvania and served in the CCC from 1938-1939 at Camp NP-1 working on trails and driving trucks. Recorded March 24, 1999.

Lee Muscavich (109kb pdf) - Lee Muscavich was born in Pennsylvania and served in the CCC from 1939 for 9 months at Camp NP-10 installing water and telephone lines and building reservoirs along the road. Recorded September 26, 1999.

Elmer Noyes (191kb pdf) - Elmer "Skipper" Noyes is a former Superintendent for the CCC in Shenandoah National Park, working from 1933-1940, first in Camp NP-1, Skyland, and later in Camp NP-10, Pinnacles. He relates his experiences looking for water sources, building the camps, and the lives of the boys under his supervision. He discusses the initial creation of the Park, the direction he would like the Park to go, and his pride in the boys he worked with. Recorded September 13, 1977.

E. Scott & R. Barlow (183kb pdf) - Edward Scott was from Virginia. He served in the CCC starting in 1933 for almost two years, then went home and joined back up in 1936, where he worked at Camp NP-2 in Big Meadows. He recalls the mountain residents and what it was like to work with the CCC. Russell Barlow was from Norfolk, Virginia and served in the CCC beginning in 1934 and discusses winter on the mountain. Recorded February 2, 1978.

Ralph Seery (55kb pdf) - Ralph Seery was born in Boston and moved to Virginia with his family during the Depression. He served in the CCC from 1933-1934 at Big Meadows helping build roads. He recalls life at camp, interactions with locals, and says that all young people should have the opportunity to work outside. Recorded September 25, 1999.

John Shuda (90kb pdf) - John Shuda was from Philadelphia and served in the CCC in Shenandoah from 1937-1942 at Camp NP-12, Piney River, working on grading and seeding embankments. Recorded November 28, 1994.

Bill Stangl (69kn pdf) - Bill Stangl was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and served in the CCC in 1937 for one year at Camp NP-3 at Lewis Mountain clearing dead trees. Recorded September 27, 1998.

John Taylor (32kb pdf) - John Taylor was from Virginia and served in the CCC in 1939-1940. Recorded September 25, 1999.

Charles Wagner (53kb pdf) - Charles Wagner was from Swanton, Maryland and served in the CCC from 1935-1937 mostly as First Sargent at Camp NP-1. Recorded August 28, 1991.

James Weakley (79kb pdf) - James Weakley was from Virginia and served in the CCC from 192 or 1933 from two years. Recorded September 27, 1997.

Albert J. "A.J." Willett (149kb pdf) - Albert "A.J." Willett was from Virginia and served in the CCC from 1935-1937 at Camp NP-2 in Big Meadows. He tells many stories of the people he met, work that he did, and life in the CCC. Willett recorded this on his own at different times.

Albert J. "A.J." Willett p.2 (109kb pdf) - The second part of Willett's story tells of his second enrollment in the CCC near New Castle, Virginia.

 

Last updated: September 24, 2018

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