CCC CAMPS: They planted trees and built roads and recreational
infrastructure such as dams, fire towers and fire roads.

Few, if any, people in this region are untouched by the Civilian
Conservation Corps whose projects are evident throughout McKean and
neighboring counties.

If you were a part of it – or want to know more about it – head
out to the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford tomorrow to hear
special guest CCC historian Mike Schultz speaking at an anniversary
talk and reception from 3-5 p.m. in the lobby of the Hanley
Library.

The CCC was comprised of young men put out of work during the
Great Depression.

Locally, the C’s built Hearts Content campground near Warren in
1936. At the abandoned logging community of Loleta, near
Marienville, the C’s reconstructed the Loleta Mill Pond, building a
stone dam on East Branch Millstone Creek for a swimming area. They
also built a log bath house and picnic shelters.

The lower group of the Twin Lakes campground near Wilcox,
including picnic area and pavilions, was also built by the CCC.

Closer to Bradford, Red Bridge was a camp where the C’s lived
before it served other government purposes. Men lived in tents at
Dunkel’s Corner before building the permanent camp. Red Bridge
operated under the C’s from 1933 until 1942.

Red Bridge later served as a German and Italian prisoner-of-war
camp until 1946. According to the state Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources, conscientious objectors, including Amish and
Mennonites, were also housed there during WWII.

The buildings built by the Cs were also used as a headquarters
for the Kinzua Dam project. No structures remained after 1983.

The DCNR says that the ANF plans an interpretive walkway about
the CCC through the site.

As part of the program at Hanley Library, items from the Michael
and Marie T. Schultz Collection of CCC memorabilia will be on
display.

We understand that Dr. Schultz “rescued” these items from
children and grandchildren of veterans who might not want them. The
collection is now part of the Hanley Library’s permanent
display.

PAGE 4: Dr. Schultz, in a guest column on today’s editorial
page, expresses concern about the Allegheny National Forest’s
recent proposal to “decommission” many of its recreational
facilities and the impact on CCC history in the region. We invite
you to read it.