Birch Creek Camp – Dillon MT

Description

The Birch Creek Camp was located in Beaverhead County. The ranger station was on Birch Creek, about two miles above the campsite. A group of twenty-five Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) workers and one officer were first taken to the site location to build the camp in April of 1935. A total of 200 workers ended up at the camp. They arrived about 2-3 weeks after the initial 25 had arrived. Birch Creek was a “show camp,” meaning it was staged to impress dignitaries on tour for the Fort Missoula CCC District. The first major project assigned to the Birch Creek boys was to construct 42 miles of forest road. The purpose of this construction was to create a road from Birch Creek to Elkhorn Springs, as well as to create roads for scenic territory and trout lakes.

The company had a list of minor projects to do as well. Some of the other projects included planting trees, fighting forest fires, stringing telephone lines, and building the Birch Creek Guard Station, as well as fire lookouts, campgrounds, and trails. The Birch Creek Boys’ accomplishments did not stop there. It was not unusual for any of the boys to not have much of an educational background. A majority did not even finish high school. Birch Creek gave the boys the opportunity to further their education through its university. Thirty-two courses were taught, including courses on grade school level work, high school subjects, and vocational education. Many of the boys learned how to read and write through these courses.

While it may have seemed like the Birch Creek Camp was all work and no play, many of the boys filled their leisure time with fun activities. Activities such as dances, baseball, arts and crafts, hikes, and musical programs were provided. The camp also sponsored hockey and football teams where the boys competed against local communities. In June of 1936, tennis was the most popular sport at the camp. The courts were always crowded, and the boys would have to wait in line to get a chance to play. The boys played hard but worked even harder. Many of the boys came to the camp undernourished, so when they were put to work every day, their appetite grew even bigger. The average enrollee gained 11 pounds within the first 2 months of being at the camp.

In 1941, the camp was closed and returned to the Forest Service. The University of Montana Western began utilizing the camp as the Birch Creek Outdoor Education Center in 1978. Six of the original fifteen buildings remain, and the University and USDA Forest Service work together to help preserve the historic facilities. Because of its significance, the Birch Creek Camp was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The Birch Creek Boys had a huge impact on the community. The boys created roads, fences, trails, telephone lines, and more for the people in the community to enjoy. They even spent 200 days searching for a lost child. The work they did was meaningful. The whole community was involved in the lives of these boys. The Dillon Tribune and The Dillon Examiner kept the community up to date on what was happening in camp. It publicized everything from the projects being done, to which boys have changed places, to the most popular sport in the camp. Whether the community members were just being nosy, or they truly cared about what was going on, they all wanted insight on the boys of Birch Creek.