Civilian Conservation Corps Statue

Introduction

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Founded in 1933 by then president Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Civilian Conservation Corps was a volunteer program for men aged 17 to 28. Meant to employ this demographic during the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps set out across the United States developing natural resources and building infrastructure such as roads and dams. In Versailles, Indiana, the CCC built Versailles State Park on 1,700 acres of farmland starting in 1934. Dedicated in 2010, the statue on park grounds commemorates the efforts of hundreds of workers whos work still affects the state park and beyond to this day.

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Backstory and Context

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Though other projects undertaken by the CCC are of important note, such as Zion National Park and Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the program's contributions to the state of Indiana cannot be understated.

Prior to its purchase for development by the CCC in 1934, the 1700 acres of farmland in the area were host to another major event in Indiana history - Morgan's Raid, a brief effort by Confederate cavalryman and general John Hunt Morgan. The land that makes up the park was part of their path through Indiana, and the city of Versailles itself was temporarily occupied by the soldiers under Morgan's command.

Beginning in 1934, the CCC rapidly began developing the park itself. Their projects included building roads, camp sites, erosion control, planting trees, and general maintenance. In 1937, the CCC responsible for building and maintaining the state park were reassigned to a project in Oregon, and responsibility for the park was turned over to Versailles locals.

The statue, dedicated in 2010 by the Ripley County Historical Society, is similar to many placed across the United States to commemorate the workers who took part in the CCC. A directory of these statues can be found on a CCC legacy website at http://www.ccclegacy.org. The Versailles statue is the 54th of its kind to be dedicated in the United States, and the only CCC statue in the state of Indiana.

Sources

“CCC Statue List.” CCC Legacy, www.ccclegacy.org/CCC_Statue_List.html.

Geib, George W. “Morgan's Raid.” IHB: Morgan's Raid, www.in.gov/history/3993.htm.

“Versailles State Park Celebrates 100 Years of Conservation.” Indiana Landmarks, 11 Aug. 2016, www.indianalandmarks.org/2016/07/100-years-conservation-versailles-state-park/.

“Versailles State Park.” DNR: Versailles State Park, www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2963.htm.