- City:
- Little River, CA
- Site Type:
- Parks and Recreation, Paths and Trails, Campgrounds and Cabins, Picnic and Other Facilities, Park Roads and Bridges
- New Deal Agencies:
- Work Relief Programs, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
- Quality of Information:
- Moderate
- Marked:
- No
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
Van Damme State Park in Mendocino County CA was purchased by the state of California for its newly-established state park system in 1934, after the death of the landowner, Charles Van Damme. As with so many of the original California state parks, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) moved in to develop the site for camping and recreation in the 1930s.
According to Engbeck, CCC Company 572 built a new access road and a water system, expanded the campground by adding tables, stoves, and cupboards, and added a picnic area. They also built a park staff residence and a community recreation hall, which now serves as the visitor center. There is also a campfire circle and trails up the Little River canyon, which were in all likelihood built by the CCC.
Source notes
Engbeck, Joseph H., Jr. By the People, For the People: The Work of the Civilian Conservation Corps in California State Parks, 1933-1941. Sacramento: California State Parks. 2002
Site originally submitted by Shaina Potts on February 24, 2008.
Additional contributions by Richard A Walker.
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