Robert Fechner Monument

The Robert Fechner Monument was carved out of a single piece of sandstone and stands nearly ten feet high and six feet wide. The monument commemorates Robert Fechner, the first director of the CCC. Fechner was a lifelong blue-collar worker, union organizer, and labor negotiator. The CCC program was initially met by opposition from labor leaders who feared that the program would be detrimental to workers across the board, which is why why Franklin Roosevelt appointed Fechner. Fechner proved to be largely adept at both assuaging labor fears and capably handling the administration of the CCC program. However, he was also the target of criticism for his reluctance to promote African-American CCC opportunities and for his stance that education in the CCC program should be a tangential benefit only. Fechner served as director from 1933 until his death in 1939. The monument to Fechner has experienced some environmental erosion, but otherwise remains in good condition.