CCC Camp, Tongass – Annette Island AK

Description

Starting with 1933, the CCC built multiple camps in the Tongass Forest, among which was a camp on Annette Island. Initially, the Alaska program consisted of builiding small camps in the Tongass and Chugach forests, with an enrollment of 325 men. The program expanded in 1937 outside of the National forest boundaries. The Annette Island camp was part of this expansion:

“As a result of the additional enrollment and work load, the Forest Service began a cooperative program with the National Park Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The expanded program made special efforts to enroll Eskimos and other native Alaskans. Natives made up about one-half of the new enrollment. CCC projects for natives were located in numerous places, including Saxman, Klawock, Craign, Metlakatla, Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau, Angoon, Tenakee, Hot Springs, Hoonah, Annette Island, Warm Springs Bay, Yakutat, Klukwan, Sitka, Tyonek, Tititlek, and Chenaga.”¹

“Work continued with 325 man-year quota until April 1, 1937, when a greatly enlarged CCC program was approved. Under it, 600 man-years of work were allowed. The number of men employed at one time varied with the seasons, showing a sharp drop in the spring when mining and fish canning are the principal fields for employment. The drop in private employment is the signal for raising the number of enrollees for late fall and winter CCC work. Peak employment has been as high as 1,200 men.”²

“The organizational structure of the CCC in Alaska was somewhat similar to the way in which the Indian Emergency Conservation Work program was organized in the Lower 48. Men were generally older in the Alaskan CCC program, they lived closer to home and sometimes in their own homes (compare this description to that given in Merrill’s brief summary) and they were allowed to keep more of their monthly pay than the typical CCC enrollee.”³

A Forest Service history of the CCC, notes that the CCC contributed to national defense work in Alaska. This work included the building of the Annette Army Airfield among other major airfields.¹