DeSoto National Forest Sites

A recreation area was constructed in the Biloxi Unit of the DeSoto National forest, including a bath house with water from an artesian well, and nine picnic areas with graveled paths. Tables, chairs and cooking pits were planned from brick or stone, and a picnic shed of “native materials” was under construction. The site was dedicated in June 1937. Located ¼ mile east of old Hwy 49 and 23 miles south of Wiggins, the site was constructed by camp 10, a CCC camp comprised of African Americans. The area cost approximately $14,000 and included the bath house with native cypress...

Seven CCC camps began planting slash and long leaf seedings in half of the DeSoto National Forest. Each camp of 115 men were planting 50,000 seedlings per day, anticipated to take three months to complete. The camps included Camps F-16 at Ramsey Springs, F-4 at Laurel, 5 at New Augusta, 7 at New Augusta, 8 at Richton, 12 at Biloxi, and 24 at Richton. The state nursery at Ramsey Springs supplied about 1,000,000 of the seedlings and the remainder came from Alexandria, Louisiana. Bridge construction began in the Bienville Ranger District of the DeSoto National Forest in May 1936. Bridges...

Construction began on the Airey Work Center in the DeSoto National Forest in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Initially known as the Biloxi National Forest, the buildings included the lookout tower, office, and equipment shop as part of the original site development. The Work Center was a 2.5 story, timber-frame maintenance and storage building with a one-story residence. The lookout tower was a prefabricated steel fire tower with stairs, and a cabin at the top. Physically located closest to McHenry, and official address listed as Perkinston.