Start Year: 1933

Farnsworth Park is a Los Angeles County park established in Altadena, CA, in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, 4 miles north of Pasadena in 1934. Its 15 acres contain covered and open picnic tables, barbecue pits, baseball diamonds, a basketball court, tennis (now pickle ball) courts, a bocce ball area and a children's playground. The park's northeast corner features its original 1934 recreation building and a wooden bench amphitheater added in 1938; both are still actively in use. After serving first as a reforestation nursery run by the LA County Forestry Dept. from 1916 until 1929, the Altadena Citizens'...

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) did extensive improvements at Armstrong State Park, 1933 to 1941.    The most impressive of the CCC works is a large amphitheater, which was under renovation during a visit in December 2022.    Many other features of the CCC's work remain, as well, such as stone stoves, stone drinking fountains, water lines, trails and the old community center.  Some buildings near the park entrance may be left over from the CCC camp.  In 1990, an informational plaque at the front of the park  was installed by members of the National Association of CCC Alumni, Luther Burbank Chapter 131.  But...

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) did extensive improvements at Armstrong State Park, 1933 to 1941.   Over the years, CCC Companies 594, 1553. 1920, 1988 and 2916 were stationed at Camp Armstrong, SP-39 (originally known as Camp Armstrong Woods, P-804), which was located by the present entrance to the park.  The enrollees built an amphitheater, a community building (including warden's headquarters), picnic areas with stone stoves and tables of redwood, a timber bridge, two miles of road improvements, cleared underbrush, and made general improvements to park grounds and other facilities (Goddard 1976). Many of those features remain.  The amphitheater was under renovation during a...

The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded the reconstruction of Washington Middle School in Long Beach, CA, after the school was heavily damaged in the 1933 Long Beach earthquake. The school reopened in 1935. The school's website gives a description of the building's exterior artworks: "Washington's design details combine characteristics from all three phases of the Art Deco and Art Moderne architecture. The exterior has Streamline Moderne details. There is a low-relief profile of George Washington (1732-99) above the main entryway on Cedar Avenue. Recessed double vertical lines create the illusion of a two-story lobby area. The two Cedar Avenue entrances...

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) ran two camps at Hocking Hills State Park in Logan OH. The CCC built Hiking Trails and Old Man's Cave Unit.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) established a camp at Elk River, Idaho, in 1933. It was designated as Camp F-133 (a Forest Service camp). Elk River is a small town in mid-panhandle Idaho, west of the Clearwater Range. The main activities of the CCC enrollees were probably tree planting and road work. We know from the attached photograph that the camp was active in 1934 and CCC company 1238 had been installed there. Elk River campground near the village of Elk Creek looks to have been built by the CCC and might be on the location of the former CCC camp. It...

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) made extensive improvements to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park on the central California coast, developing it for public recreational use. The state parks commission acquired the land in 1933, but had no funds for development.  The CCC worked in the park from 1933 to 1941, but the sources do not always specify exact dates for each improvement.  Although Engbeck (2002) does not mention it, the softball field next to the Group Picnic Areas must have been built by the CCC enrollees.  It is typical of ball fields built in parks all over the country by the...

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) made extensive improvements to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park on the central California coast, developing it for public recreational use. The state parks commission acquired the land in 1933, but had no funds for development.  The CCC worked in the park from 1933 to 1941, but the sources do not always specify exact dates for each improvement.  The CCC enrollees built the original Main Camp and the Weyland campground, though both have probably been expanded since.  Original tables with stone footings and stone camp stoves can still be found scattered through these campgrounds. The Main Campground is...

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) made extensive improvements to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park on the central California coast, developing it for public recreational use. The state parks commission acquired the land in 1933, but had no funds for development.  The CCC worked in the park from 1933 to 1941, but the sources do not always specify exact dates for each improvement.  The CCC enrollees built four comfort stations (restrooms) constructed of river stones.  Three are shown in the photos here. All the stone restrooms are still in operation. There are several other wood restrooms that could be the work of the...

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) made extensive improvements to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park on the central California coast, developing it for public recreational use. The state parks commission acquired the land in 1933, but had no funds for development.  The CCC worked in the park from 1933 to 1941, but the sources do not always specify exact dates for each improvement.  The CCC enrollees built a number of functional buildings for park maintenance, which are clustered at the far end of the main road where they are partially hidden behind a high, earthen berm.  We were not able to determine...