Pinus Pinea Historical Marker

Located on the grounds of Sacramento's Capitol Park, this historical marker was erected next to an Italian Stone Pine tree (Pinus pinea) on April 14, 1983. The historical marker commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which was in operation from 1933 to 1942. The CCC was part of the New Deal program established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to help lift the U.S. out of the Great Depression. It employed young men to improve public lands in national parks and forests, including the planting of 3 billion trees.

California State Capitol Park in Sacramento is home to numerous trees that have been planted for their cultural and symbolic value. The 40-acre park is considered one of the most beautiful State Capitol grounds in the United States. Significant tree species include Coast Redwoods (Sequoia Sempervirens), English Hawthorne (Crataegus laevigata), and Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus serrulata), among others, including twenty-two Italian Stone Pines (Pinus pinea) that were planted in the northeast section of the park in 1872. The name, Stone Pine, refers to the hard shell of the seeds, which are known in Italy as Pignoli (Pine Nuts). The seeds have been gathered and used for culinary purposes since the time of the Romans.

Although the last of the 19th-century Italian Stone Pines had to be removed from the park in November 2012, another Pinus pinea that was planted in 1983 is still standing. A historical marker was placed beside it at the time of its planting. This tree, along with the "Pinus Pinea Historical Marker," honors the 50^th Anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Founded in 1933, the CCC was part of the New Deal program established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to create jobs and boost the economy during the Great Depression. During its decade in existence, the men employed through the program planted over 3 billion trees on public lands and forests, while improving national and state parks through engineering and other projects.

The CCC encountered blizzards, floods, hurricanes, and droughts, tackling soil erosion and other pressing environmental issues during the 1930s Dust Bowl era. The men were housed in military-style barracks and tent camps, at first with oversight from the U.S. Army, which sought to bring discipline to the civilian program. In exchange for three square meals a day and a bed, the men were expected to do demanding physical labor. It was considered a point of pride to be part of the CCC, particularly as exceptionally high unemployment afflicted the country during the Depression. The program ceased when the U.S. entered World War II, but by the time it ended in 1942, the CCC had employed more than 2.5 million men, many of whom were aged 18 to 25. U.S. involvement in World War II brought an end to the CCC, but the program had a lasting impact through trees planted and improvements made to public lands.

"Brief History", Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy. Accessed June 26th, 2023. https://ccclegacy.org/CCC_Brief_History.html.

"Capitol Park Tree Booklet", Capitol Museum. Accessed June 26th, 2023. https://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/images/pdf/CapitolParkTreeBooklet.pdf.

"Civilian Conservation Corps: History Articles", CA Dept. of Parks & Recreation. Accessed June 26th, 2023. https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24899.

Herrick, Michael. "Pinus Pinea: Italian Stone Pine", Historical Marker Database. November 4th, 2015. Accessed June 26th, 2023. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=90265.

Speakman, Joseph M. "Into the Woods: The First Year of the Civilian Conservation Corps". November 1st, 2006.

"The Civilian Conservation Corps", National Park Service. Accessed June 26th, 2023. https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-civilian-conservation-corps.htm.