Civilian Conservation Corps in Massachusetts Photograph Collection
Relief program established for unemployed men by President Franklin D. Roosevelt whose main work in Massachusetts through the 1930s and early 1940s was tree planting, fire fighting, insect control, and tree and plant disease control. Contains photographs arranged alphabetically by forest name that depict road building, tree planting, and other developments in the state forests. Includes some images of workers.
Background on Civilian Conservation Corps
The Emergency Conservation Work (March 31, 1933 – Jan. 1, 1942; renamed, Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937) was just one of the many relief programs established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to aid in the effort to curb rising unemployment and to lift the “spiritual” morale of the country. Rather than create an autonomous governing agency, Roosevelt used the existing departments of War, Agriculture, Interior, and Labor and established an Advisory Council, consisting of representatives from each of these departments. The U.S. Army oversaw the Emergency Conservation Work and Civilian Conservation Corps camps established by the Council.
In Massachusetts the main work accomplished was in tree planting, fire fighting, and tree and plant disease and insect control, although several recreational facilities were also built in the forests and parks. Enrollment in Massachusetts exceeded 99,500 men. An average of 28 camps a year were operated with a total financial obligation within the state of more than $45,100,000. The CCC ceased conservation work on January 1, 1942 as more and more men enlisted into military service for World War II.
Contents of Collection
The Archives and Manuscripts collection consists of
photographs arranged alphabetically by forest name.
| Beartown Forest | Box 1: 1 | ||
| Brimfield State Forest | Box 1: 2 | ||
| Chester State Forest | Box 1: 3 | ||
| Daughters of the American Revolution Forest |
Box 1: 4 | ||
| Erving State Forest | Box 1: 5 | ||
| Foxborough State Forest | Box 1: 6 | ||
| Granville State Forest | Box 1: 7 | ||
| Harold Parker State Forest | Box 1: 8 | ||
| Leominster State Forest | Box 1: 9 | ||
| Martha’s Vineyard Forest | Box 1: 10 | ||
| Mohawk Trail Forest | Box 1: 11 | ||
| Monroe State Forest | Box 1: 12 | ||
| Mount Greylock Forest | Box 1: 13 | ||
| Myles Standish | Box 1: 14 | ||
| Oakham State Forest | Box 1: 15 | ||
| October Mountain | Box 1: 16 | ||
| Otis State Forest | Box 1: 17 | ||
| Otter River State Forest | Box 1: 18 | ||
| Pittsfield Forest | Box 1: 19 | ||
| Sandisfield State Forest | Box 1: 20 | ||
| Shawme State Forest | Box 1: 21 | ||
| Spencer Forest | Box 1: 22 | ||
| Wendell State Forest | Box 1: 23 | ||
| Willard Brook | Box 1: 24 | ||
| Windsor | Box 1: 25 | ||
| Miscellaneous | Box 1: 26 |
Acquired from Brayton Wilson, 1987.
Processed by Martha Grier-Deen, June 1987.
Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
)Cite as: Civilian Conservation Corps in Massachusetts Photograph Collection (MS 160). Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries.