When I was a child in the 1940s, before air conditioning and because parents did not have money for entertainment, we would take a fishing pole to a local area in Reno, Nevada called Virginia Lake to cool off and eat a cold supper. The lake had been created from a meadow by the CCC. Each winter when it was cold enough to freeze the lake, I would ice skate on the lake. Today, as a genealogist, I have found many family history records that were catalogued and indexed by the WPA. Some of my family members worked in the administration of the WPA. I remember hearing controversy over whether or not Roosevelt was right to propose such work programs. Even my father, who had to ride freight trains west from Ohio, was staunchly “republican” in his ideas. In his last days, he worked for local government because he had “no social security.” It seems some people put personal pride before rational thinking. I am eternally grateful for the CCC and WPA.
Hi Oma:
I recently found a post on Genealogy.com that you made in 2008. You were asking about the name Ouellette and Lewistown. I have been researching my family and have found that my Great Grandfather, Antoine Ouellette, born 29 Dec 1834, my Great Grandmother, Angelique Bottineau born 9 Oct. 1838 and my Grandfather John (Baptiste Ouellette) born 2 Feb. 1878 were part of a band of Metis who founded Lewistown in 1879-80. I discovered a book, We Know Who We Are by Martha Hourroun Foster who lived in Lewistown for a time and interviewed those still living there. Her account of the settling of Lewistown gave me a genuine love of the Metis people. I hope to someday visit the area.
I would love to hear from you.