CCC Camp 556 Flagpole Base
N 41° 42.173 W 085° 01.831
16T E 663868 N 4618662
The Flagpole Base for CCC Camp 556. Near the Nature Center.
Waymark Code: WMQHA
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 09/16/2006
Views: 68
When the Interpretive Staff at Pokagon State Park started digging into their historical records, they really wanted to find out where exactly the CCC Camp buildings had stood. Time and nature had reclaimed the area, and had overgrown everything, seemingly wiping out any evidence that a CCC Camp once stood anywhere here. However, one day, they discovered a cement block in the middle of a square of trees. They didn't think much of it at first, but then they realized - they'd found the CCC Camp 556 Flagpole base!
From that flagpole base, they were able to plot out where the rest of the camp had to be, based on photos and known dimensions of buildings. Their research was confirmed when they found other base blocks of buildings and a depression that was identified as the remains of the latrine pit!
Thanks to the initial discovery of this one lone stone, the Pokagon State Park Interpretive Staff, in conjunction with some local members of CCC Camp 556, have now managed to locate and "lay out" all the buildings of the CCC Camp and identify where they were in relation to what is there now.
They have mowed grass-trails indicating the old building traffic footpaths, and the buildings themselves. It's a fascinating look into the park's history - and it all started here, at this flagpole stone.
This listing was created with extensive help from Fred Wooley, Interpretive Naturalist for Pokagon State Park, and columnist for the Herald-Republican newspaper. We thank him for his assistance and copies of his articles, without which we would not have been able to provide these listings.