Robber's Cave State Park Dams - Wilburton, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 34° 58.782 W 095° 21.544
15S E 284657 N 3873334
The WPA was brought into a large park project of the CCC in the late 1930's.
Waymark Code: WMZAJW
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 10/09/2018
Views: 2
Robber's Cave State Park is located about seven miles north of Wilburton on Highway 2. The coordinates shown above are located at the park sign, on the highway across from the Nature Center and Gift Shop.
Robber's Cave State Park was developed from an earlier Boy Scout Camp begun by Carlton Weaver. Because of a secluded cave here, it was thought to have been a popular hideout for outlaws such as Belle Starr and Jesse James. Originally known as Latimer State Park, the name was changed to Robber's Cave State Park in 1936.
The CCC built the park between 1933 and 1941 with cabins, hiking trails, campsites, shelters and roads. This was a joint effort of the National Park Service, the CCC, and the WPA who were brought in to construct dams to create three lakes. The WPA built a low water dam across Coon Creek forming a 58 acre reservoir. In addition, they built three additional low water dams across Forche Maline Creek and two more across Coon Creek. The 80-acre Lake Carlton was formed, as well as the Wayne Wallace Reservoir. The Park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.