Located in October Mountain State Forest, CCC Camp S-52 (Company 125) was established at October Mountain in 1933 and was succeeded in 1934 by Camp SA-52 (Company 125). As at many other camps, the first priorities were road construction, fire hazard reduction and planting, building upon work already begun by state workers. Roadwork and forestry remained a priority for this camp which existed until 1935 and for Camp S-93 which followed it from 1936 to 1940. CCC Camp SP-11 (Company 120) was located west of Stanley Road just south of the Becket/Washington border which is what we set out to find. 1933 and NRA National Recovery Act carved into the standing chimney, one toppled. We also found a “cooking hearth” a fire pit lined with pipes to heat water, well and other smaller slab structures on site to serve over 100 men housed here while they worked during the great depression.

A typical day…Barracks Life:
“Reveille is blown at six in the morning. At 6:15 the present number of regular occupants of each tent is reported. By 7 o’clock the boys have washed and dressed and are beginning to line up with their mess kits and cups for the morning meal… [The mess officer] sees that all food is properly and tastily prepared. The men form in lines before their tents and, at a given signal, file past the mess hall where they are served from steaming kettles army fashion. A typical breakfast would consist of an orange, oat meal, bacon, French toast and coffee. In addition, each man receives a bottle of milk. At 8, the crews are assigned to various kinds of work. One group of men is detailed to police the camp grounds. No litter or papers are seen blowing about any of the C.C.C. camps in this region. The approaches to some of the tents are landscaped with native decorative trees and shrubs, while each boasts a rustic handrail. The ‘saw and hammer’ division spend their days erecting permanent buildings with dimensions of 100×20.

The forestry crews, and each of the nine civilian foremen in charge, are given specific instructions relative to the day’s work by the superintendent before they leave the camp.

“At 11:45 the men return to the camp for the day’s principal meal. A week ago Sunday this consisted of roasted stuffed chicken, corn, mashed potatoes, apricots and tea. After the three-hour working period between 1 and 4 in the afternoon, an hour and a half is devoted to rest and recreation before supper is served.” Recruits were required to change from work clothes to forest army uniforms for evening inspection and mess. Courtesy Dam Beavers, Bernie Drew

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