Civilian Conservation Corps 1933-1942 - Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City, OK - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

This is a life-sized bronze sculpture of a young man with a shovel, employed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which, according to an engraving on the base of the statue, was “Based on Melvin Grant, CCC 1940-1941.” The artist is John Goodson and the sculpture is © 2005.

The sculpture stands on the Red River Journey pathway alongside the parking area at the Oklahoma History Center just northeast of the Capitol building. The museum is at the corner of N.E. 23rd Street and Lincoln Blvd.

The words on the accompanying plaque tell the story of the significance of the CCC:

“Civilian Conservation Corps 1933-1942
Franklin Delano Roosevelt pledged that he would do everything in his power to ease the Depression and unemployment in the United States. One of the most successful of the New Deal programs was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC enrolled young men from the ages of 17 to 23 who were unemployed. The CCC was assigned to replant forests, build small dams, create and repair state and national parks, restore historic structures and construct fire towers. Each man was paid $30 a month with $25 of that sent to his family. The young men were fed, given uniforms and had a bed at night. Instead of being given a handout by the government, the men worked and learned to be independent. More than three million people were involved with the CCC program during the 9 years the CCC was in existence. Harry Hopkins described the program best when he said, ‘Give a man a dole and you save his body and destroy his spirit. Give him a job and you save both body and spirit.’”

During the time of the CCC, volunteers planted nearly 3 billion trees to help reforest America, constructed more than 800 parks nationwide that would become the start of most state parks, developed forest fire fighting methods and a network of thousands of miles of public roadways, and constructed buildings connecting the nation's public lands.[

Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Civilian Conservation Corps 1933-1942 Figure Type: Human Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: John Goodson Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: 2005 Materials used: Bronze Location: Red River Journey path at the Oklahoma History Center

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