History: The Civilian Conservation Corps and the California Region

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The Civilian Conservation Corps and the California Region

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp administration and enrollee distribution for Region 5 were headquartered in San Francisco and directed by Army Corps Area 9. On April 26, 1933, Acting Adjutant General James F. McKinley approved 166 CCC camps within the nineteen forests in Region 5, 128 of which actually began by the year's end. Even though the region's mild climate prevented cutting back the number of camps during the winter months, the overall number of camps slowly dwindled to only 13 camps in 1942, the final year of the CCC. One of the first camps in Region 5 was the Buck Meadows Camp, F-82, in the Stanislaus National Forest, established on May 20, 1933. The camp housed 200 enrollees from the San Francisco Bay area. The enrollees at Buck Meadows were initially housed in tents, later to be replaced by barracks, a mess hall, and a recreation building in the fall of 1933.

The CCC were primarily concerned with forest fire prevention, structural and transportation improvements, the preservation of forest culture, and the development of recreational facilities. By 1941, the CCC developed 64,640 miles of truck trails and minor roads, constructed 1,585 bridges, 405 lookout houses and towers, and more than 8,000 other buildings such as administrative and storage facilities. Fire prevention and fire fighting were major activities, and involved the building of fire lines and breaks, cutting down snags, and the clearing of roads and trails. The largest project undertaken by the CCC in California was the Ponderosa Way firebreak and truck trail, which spanned nearly 800 miles down the length of the Sierra from the Shasta Bear Lookout and ending in the south at the Kern County boundary line. Recreational improvements also provided a large amount of work. Projects included trail development and maintenance, with some of the most notable work completed on the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. In the Angeles National Forest alone, 20 trail camps were improved for recreational use. The CCC also improved recreational camping facilities through the construction of stoves tables, wells, as well as clearing ground for both picnic and camp use.

Civilian Conservation Corps and the Cleveland National Forest

The Cleveland National Forest was home to several CCC camps. The first CCC camp established in California was Camp F-160 at Pine Valley. On April 28, 1933, the first fourteen men of this camp were enrolled into CCC Company 901. Company 901 later filled out to 187 men. CCC Company 911 was composed of 184 men and was established as Camp F-165, Temescal in Corona on May 22, 1933. CCC Company 531 included 192 men and was established as Camp F-163, Temecula, in Aguanga on May 29, 1933. CCC Company 532 was composed of 187 men and was established as Camp F-162, Puerta La Cruz, in Warner Springs on May 29, 1933. CCC Company 533 was composed of 201 men and was established as Camp F-161, Pamo valley, in Ramona on May 29, 1933. CCC Company 534 was composed of 201 men and was established as Camp F-159, San Diego River, in El Cajon on May 29, 1933. CCC Company 535 was composed of 193 men and was established as Camp F-158, Lyons Valley, in Jamul on May 29, 1933. CCC Company 546 was composed of 204 men and was established as Camp F-166, Silverado, in Silverado Canyon on June 2, 1933. CCC Company 599 was composed of 199 men and was established as Camp P-231, Fallbrook, in Fallbrook on June 16, 1933. Finally, CCC Company 1501 was composed of 204 men and was established as Camp SP-4, Cuyamaca Rancho, in Descanso on June 18, 1933.

One of the most unique CCC companies on the Cleveland was Company 2923-C. All members of Company 2923-C were African-American, and were one of only four companies with all-African America enrollees within the Los Angeles CCC District. 2923-C was originally organized at La Cienega in August, 1935, and later transferred to Camp F-164, at Elsinore. Their forest Service Project Superintendent was Ray C. Smith. Company 2923-C's primary Forest Service projects included campground development, reforestation, and construction of truck trails and fire breaks. In May 1937, 2923-C established a spike camp at Oak Grove Ranger Station with a side camp at Palomar Mountain, and completed construction on the High Point Lookout Tower and house on the highest peak on Palomar Mountain; constructed the Forest Service Fire/Weather building; construction of truck trails from Oak Grove Ranger Station to Palomar Mountain, from Henshaw Dam to Palomar Mountain, and from Rincon-Henshaw Dam State Highway to the Palomar Observatory. Other completed structures include the Corona Ranger Station, the Silverado Ranger Station, the Tenaja Ranger Station, and lookouts on Estelle Peak, Santa Margarita Peak, and Santiago Peak.

Figure 3: Company 2923-C

Company 2923-C had a highly distinguished fire-fighting record after performing amicably in the September 1935 Malibu Fire, which destroyed the homes of several prominent southern California celebrities. 2923-C was the first company to employ the use of homing pigeons as a communication aid for firefighting, and were personally raised by Forest Service fire fighting foreman Charles L. Hayes. The pigeons lent a distinct advantage as they were able to relay communications directly from the lines back to the base camp when other means were not practical. Company 2923-C also had a distinguished basketball team, called “The Brown Bombers”, which were unbeaten among all the CCC camps in both the March Field and Fort MacArthur Districts during the winters of 1935-36 and 1936-37.

Many different projects were completed by the CCC camps in the Cleveland. Projects include the Laguna water reservoir system, which was completed by Camp Pine Valley, F-160, consisting of three reservoirs carrying over 500,000 gallons each, with four miles of connecting pipelines at an elevation over 6,000 feet; the construction of the Dripping Springs Guard Stations, the Oak Grove Guard Station, and the Pala Guard Station by Camp Temecula, F-163; the construction of the Red Mountain Fire Station and the De Luz Fire Station for the California Department of Forestry by Camp Fallbrook, P-231; the construction of the Campo Fire Station and Potrero Fire Station for the California Department of Forestry by Camp Minnewawa, P-233, based in Jamul; the construction of portions of the San Juan, El Cariso, and Temescal Guard Stations, and the construction of the El Toro Fire Station and the San Juan Capistrano Fire Station by Camp Trabuco, P-226; the construction of a 150,000 gallon reservoir which supplied water for Cuyamaca State Park and swimming pool, along with the construction of Tapawingo Girl Scout camp, built entirely of native materials, in the Stonewall Mining District by Camp Cuyamaca Rancho, SP-4.

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