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The CCC at Palo Duro Canyon State Park

THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS 
AT PALO DURO CANYON STATE PARK 

THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS (CCC) WAS A NEW DEAL 
PROGRAM DEVELOPED UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT 
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT TO PROVIDE JOBS TO THE UNEMPLOYED 
DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION OF THE 1930s. THE PROGRAM WAS 
INITIALLY DESIGNED TO EMPLOY YOUNG MEN AND LATER GREW TO 
INCLUDE WORLD WAR I VETERANS. THE CCC WAS JUST WHAT WAS 
NEEDED TO IMPROVE THE 15,000 ACRES THAT HAD BEEN RECENTLY 
ACQUIRED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 
PALO DURO CANYON STATE PARK. THE FIRST THREE COMPANIES OF 
CCC ENROLLEES, MADE UP OF WORLD WAR 1 VETERANS, ARRIVED IN 
AMARILLO VIA TRAIN ON JULY 11 AND 12, 1933 AFTER SETTING UP 
THEIR CAMP THE FIRST TASK FOR THE EARLY WORKERS WAS THE 
CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD FROM THE RIM OF THE CANYON TO 
ITS FLOOR. THE FOURTH VETERANS COMPANY ARRIVED IN 
DECEMBER OF 1933.
 
THE EARLY VETERANS GROUPS AT THE CANYON WERE INITIAL 
INTEGRATED BUT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN TROOPS WERE 
REASSIGNED TO SWEETWATER, TEXAS IN 1934. TWO COMPANIES OF 
SEGREGATED AFRICAN AMERICAN ENROLLEES ARRIVED FROM EAST 
TEXAS IN AUGUST 1935. THE FINAL GROUP OF WORKERS TO LABOR 
IN THE CANYON WAS COMPRISED OF YOUTH MEMBERS, AND WHEN 
THE GROUP LEFT THE PARK IN DECEMBER 1937, THE PROJECT AT 
PALO DURO CANYON WAS ONE OF THE FEW TO INCLUDE WORKERS 
FROM EACH OF THE THREE SPECIAL GROUPS VETERANS, AFRICAN 
AMERICANS AND JUVENILES. 

THE PROJECTS COMPLETED BY THE CCC FROM 1933 UNTIL 1937 
INCLUDE PUBLIC BUILDINGS (SUCH AS EL CORONADO LODGE) AND 
CABINS CONSTRUCTED OF NATIVE SANDSTONE, ROADS, BRIDGES 
CULVERTS AND HIKING AND BRIDLE TRAILS, MANY OF WHICH ARE 
STILL IN USE TODAY 
MARKER IS PROPERTY OF THE STATE O TEXAS 
 

Submitted by @AnjaTEAgle.

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