An important part of Marion and Crittenden' County past history is that of the Civilian Conservation Corps that was located here in Marion. The camp was built, the men did their work, the camp dismantled and the area went back to it's owner. There is nothing left to show where the large work site was located and few people even remember anything about it.
The Civilian Conservation Corps or CCCs was started by then Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was an effort to help the nation find an end to the rampant unemployment and economic crisis that gripped the county. He planned a fight again soil erosion and declining timber resources utilizing the employment of our young men.
The camp located at Marion, was here for 2 years in 1933-1935. While here they planted 120,000 black locusts tress and 63 bushels of black walnut seedlings.
They did projects in the county to help the farmers with field erosion, planting trees and building rock walls to help hold the soil in place. Built small dams along gullies to help stop the drifting of the soil. Gullies were leveled by shovel, plowing or scraping and seedlings were planted to farther help with the shifting of the soil.
On the little lane leading to the Crooked Creek Church is a rock wall that is to believed to have been built by these workers. It's still in good shape today. The owners of the farm that this is located on is Barry and Patty Gilbert. They are proud to have this rock wall still on their land.
I wonder if there are other such marking scattered about the county and we are yet to find them.
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