Today statues stand as sentinels
at America's
landmarks
Their presence informs Americans about the
legacy and value of natural resource conservation and the care
of public land.
STATUE NO. 1
North Higgins State Park, Roscommon, MI , June 3, 1995.
Total cost $35,000. Contributions by many loyal CCC veterans.
Representing Chapters 29, 58, 129, 144, 161 & 163. Cost included
manufacture of mold to be used for other statues. Corporations
contributed a portion.
STATUE NO. 2 Located at NACCCA headquarters, St. Louis, MO April 14, 1996. Cost
was $20,000 paid by donations and NACCCA funds approved by
membership.
STATUE NO. 3 School of Conservation, Branchville, NJ, November 4, 1996.
Paid by
private funds of Henry Billitz, CCC veteran, living in St.
Augustine, FL. Henry served in CCC Company No. 1266, S-71, in 1941.
This company and one other , CCC Company 218, S-51, were the base
for creation of the School of Conservation, Division of Montclair
University. John J. Kirk, Director of SOC stated on dedication:
"These men participated in the worlds most famous conservation
program. America will never be able to repay them. All that is great
and good about conservation we owe to the CCC".
STATUE NO. 4 Highlands Hammock State Park, Sebring FL., dedicated August 2,
1997. The fourth CCC worker statue was donated by Henry Billitz in
honor of his brother, Emil Billitz who suffered complete paralysis
as the result of a truck accident while serving in the CCC. Through
hard work and therapy he regained the use of his upper body. The
statue is also dedicated to the 2,876 men who lost their lives while
working for the CCC between 1933 and 1942. Henry Billitz also
donated another CCC Worker Statue at New Jersey School of
Conservation, Branchville, NJ.
STATUE NO. 5 Located in Watoga State Park Marlington, West Virginia dedicated
June 5, 1999 and paid by private funds, Denver Dial, Director.
STATUE NO. 6 Located in Leonard Harrison State Park, Tioga County, Pa.
dedicated on August 14, 1999. Paid by Richard H. Murtland of Plano,
TX., son of Richard G. Murtland, a former CCC member who served in
Darling Run Camp, 1937 to 1939.
STATUE NO. 7 Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park, Pine Mountain, GA., dedicated
September 18, 1999. Paid by private funds contributed by CCC members
who served in area camps and some state funds. This statue was
dedicated by U.S. Senator Max Cleland of Georgia, whose father Hugh,
a CCC veteran, was present for the dedication. In his outstanding
speech, Senator Cleland referred to President Franklin D.
Roosevelt's famous "Rendezvous with Destiny" speech given
in 1936. "Some generations," Roosevelt said,
"much is
given; some generations much is required. This generation has a
rendezvous with destiny." The Senator continued,
" And you
met that destiny. You met it in wonderful, classic, heroic form. And
that's why those of us who come in after you sit in awe of your
generation and your contribution, of what you did with so little and
gave back so much.---particularly in the CCC, That's why we have a
historical marker here today in this FDR Park."
STATUE NO. 8 Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area (CVNRA), NPS, Peninsula, OH, dedicated
September 8, 2000. Paid by R. Bruce Budinger, son-in-law of former
CCC member Charles Varro, who served in CO 318 (F-1) Allegheny
National Forest, Marienville, Pa from 1939 to 1941. The statue is
installed at the Happy Days Visitor Center, built by the CCC in
1939. The CVNRA was dedicated in December 1974.
STATUE NO. 9 Dedicated September 23,
2000, in Cascade Park, New Castle, Pa. Funding from the State of
Pennsylvania, City of New Castle and private sources, including
Wal-Mart. The project was coordinated by Angelo Nocera, President of
NACCCA Chapter 125, and other members of the Chapter.
STATUE NO. 10 Dedicated April 24, 2001 in
Capitol Public Plaza, Augusta, Maine. The project was coordinated by
Phil Gouzie, President of NACCCA Chapter 111, with the assistance of
State Representative Robert W. Duplessie of Maine.
STATUE NO. 11 Dedicated June 3, 2001 in Forest Preserve District, Willow Springs, Illinois by Chapter 77
Mickey Fisher, President: Jean Thode, Vice President; Frank
Waligora,
Treasurer.
STATUE NO. 12 Dedicated September 16, 2001
in Oconee State Park, South Carolina. Coordinated by E. Spec
Jamison, Reunion Coordinator and Andy Davis, Park Manager. Funds
from a state grant.
STATUE NO. 13 Dedicated September
29, 2001 in Bear Brook State Park, Allenstown, New Hampshire
by NACCCA Chapter 107, coordinated by Dick Violette, Chapter
Secretary.
STATUE NO. 14 Dedicated June 22, 2002 at
Tahquamenon Logging Museum, Newberry, Michigan. Coordinated by
Chapter 161, Kenneth Mortensen, President.
STATUE NO. 15 Dedicated June 30, 2002 at
Devil's Den State Park in northwest Arkansas.
STATUE NO. 16 Dedicated September 3, 2002
at State Capitol Grounds, Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem,
Oregon. Coordinated by Kenneth Wright, President of CCC Chapter 4.
STATUE NO. 17 Dedicated September 28, 2002
at Letchworth State Park, State New York. Known as "The Grand
Canyon of the East", the dedication took place on the Capitol
Grounds on National Public Lands, first started in 1994 as a
national celebration.
STATUE NO. 18 Dedicated September 28,
2002, National Public Lands Day in Freetown State Forest, Assonet,
Massachusetts. Funded by the Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Management Conservation Fund. Peter C. Webster,
Commissioner and Frances J. Derwin, President of NACCCA Chapter 60.
STATUE NO. 19 Dedicated March 31, 2003 in
Roosevelt Park, Edison, New Jersey. Donated by John Meszaros,
President of NACCCA Chapter 24.
STATUE NO. 20 Dedicated August 21, 2003
in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin on the Galloway House and Village
grounds. The initial $5,000 of the statue's cost came from NACCCA
Chapter 23 in association with the Fond du Lac Historical
Society and members of the Fond du Lac community.
STATUE NO. 21 Dedicated April 17, 2004 at
Sunset Bay in White Rock Lake Park, Dallas, Texas to honor
members of CCC Company 2896. Funds for the statue were raised by the
Dallas community with much credit going to Marci Winter of "For
The Love of the Lake".
STATUE NO. 22 Dedicated April 24,
2004 at Singletary State Park, Kelly, North Carolina. Walden Hearn,
CCC veteran, Elizabethtown, North Carolina was a major factor in the
fund raising drive which lead to this dedication.
STATUE NO. 23 Dedicated July 20,
2004 at Devil's Lake State Park, Baraboo, Wisconsin. Funding from
State Department of Natural Resources, Friends of Devil's Lake,
Friends of Wisconsin State Parks. Dedication marked end of long
effort by Howard "Howdy" Thompson to get permanent
recognition for CCC 's work in Wisconsin.
STATUE NO. 24 Dedicated August21,
2004 at Promised Land State Park, Greentown, Pennsylvania.
STATUE NO. 25 Pisgah Ranger
District, Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina. Purchased by
Robert Winston, President of NACCCA Chapter 175.
STATUE NO. 26 Dedicated May 22, 2004
at Florida Caverns State Park, Marianna, Florida. The fund drive was
spearheaded by Mrs. Fannie Hutchison of Altha, Florida, whose
efforts brought the money to donate to the park.
STATUE NO. 27 Dedicated September 6,
2004 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver, Colorado.
STATUE NO. 28 Dedicated September
18, 2004 at Deception Pass State Park, Oak Harbor, Washington.
STATUE NO. 29 Dedicated October
2, 2004 at Marion County Park in Marion Kansas. Funds raised
by Dwight and Helen Beckham, donations from the local
community and ex CCC'ers.
STATUE NO. 30 Dedicated
March 31, 2005 at Rapides Station I-49, Louisiana. Kisatchie
National Forest. The funds were raised by Faye McMillin whose
brother served in the CCC ,in partnership with Buck
Vandersteen.
STATUE NO. 31 Dedicated
June 4 2005 at Crawford State Park, Farlington, Kansas, the site of
CCC Company 788. Kenneth Trent a CCC boy of the area spearheaded the
fund drive approaching the Friends of Crawford State Park who were
the main financial backers of the project.
STATUE NO. 32 Dedicated July 15, 2005 at Saltese,
Montana. Dedicated through the efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin (Jiggs)
Hudson - former president of NACCCA chapter 78. Located at the
site of CCC Camp F-9 at Haugan, Montana (About 156 miles east of the
Idaho/Montana state line.)
STATUE NO. 33. Dedicated August 27, 2005 at Cabwaylingo State
Park, Dunlow, West Virginia.
STATUE NO. 34 Dedicated
November 14, 2005 at John James Audubon State Park, Kentucky.
Dedicated through the efforts of CCC Boy, Clyde "Tubby"
Littrell and the Friends of Audubon. Located at the site of
CCC Company 1540, Camp Cromwell in Henderson, Kentucky.
STATUE NO. 35 Dedicated August 5, 2006,
McCall, Idaho. Dedicated through the efforts of NACCCA Chapter 28
and the Central Idaho Historical Museum. Special thanks to Marie and
the late Doug Eier and NACCCA Chapter President Chancie
Meyers.
STATUE NO. 36. Dedicated September
30, 2006 at the Byrd Visitor Center Plaza, Big Meadows, Virginia.
Dedicated through the efforts of the Barlow family of Stanley,
Virginia, with additional funding for site work and logistics by the
Shenandoah National Park Association.
STATUE NO 37. Dedicated October 18, 2006
at the Flags Of Honor Park along highway 71, Willmar, Minnesota.
Dedicated through the funding of two CCC enrollees, Herbert Amundson
and Ernest Manthey.
STATUE NO. 38. Dedicated October 21, 2006
at Giant City State Park, Giant City Lodge, Makanda, Illinois.
Dedicated through the efforts of NACCCA Chapter 102 and it's
President Joe Stritzel.
STATUE NO. 39. Dedicated June 14, 2007 at Fort Abraham
Lincoln State Park, Mandan, North Dakota. Ted Will, President of
NACCCA Chapter 106 spearheaded the fundraising Drive.
STATUE NO. 40. Dedicated July 7, 2007 at Laurel Hills State
Park, Pennsylvania. Park volunteers raised the money through sales
in the visitor center, with also funds from private contributors.
STATUE NO. 41. Dedicated August 9, 2007 at
Gooseberry State Park, Minnesota. NACCCA chapters 33 and 119 raised
the money with assistance from the Minnesota Conservation Corps and
MNR DNR and State Parks and Recreation.
STATUE NO. 42. Dedicated August 24, 2007 at Warren County
Visitors Bureau, Warren Pennsylvania. Fund raising by the Tionesta
Valley Snowmobile Club. Statue
No. 43. Dedicated March 15, 2008 at the O'Leno State Park,
Florida, as part of the 75th Anniversary celebrations. The
statue was purchased by George and Peggy LeCouris, members of
Chapter 143 and life members of NACCCA. It was delivered
on October 2, 2007. Statue
No. 44. Dedicated May 17, 2008, Edinburg, VA. At
the site of the CCC Memorial on the George Washington National
Forest Lee District Office. Dedicated to the alumni of
Camp Roosevelt who provided the initial funding to start the
project. Statue
No. 45. Dedicated June 25, 2008, Sacramento, CA.
California Conservation Corps Headquarters. Funds were
raised by NACCCA founder Bob Griffiths and dedicated in
conjunction with the California Conservation Corps upon the 75th
Anniversary.
Statue No. 46.
Dedicated August 30, 2008, Petit Jean State Park, AR.
Petit Jean was the first State Park built by the CCC in the
State of Arkansas. Sponsored by Petit Jean State
Park.  Statue No. 47. Dedicated
October 18, 2008 Elephant Butte State Park, NM Statue
No 48. Dedicated October 25, 2008 - Colossal Cave, AZ
 Statue No 49.
Dedicated
January 16, 2009 - Santa Fe, NM
- West side of the State Capitol grounds. Alumni from CCC
Legacy Chapter 141 were special guests. The effort was organized
by National New Deal Preservation Association and the New Mexico Legislative
Council Service. The statue was funded by state and private funds.
 Statue
No 50. Dedicated February 21, 2009 - Phoenix South Mountain
Park, Phoenix, AZ. Coordinate by members of CCC Legacy Chapter #44
and donated by Jack Duncan, Chapter member. The status is located at
the entrance to the visitors center of the Phoenix South Mountain Park
 Statue No 51. Dedicated
May 16, 2009 - Hill City South Dakota. The
event and funding was coordinated by the members of CCC Legacy Chapter
#177 and the CCC Museum of South Dakota. Funding for the statue was
provided by chapter member Melvin Hermanson of Rapid City. The
statue is at the location of the Hill City Visitor Center and CCC Museum
of south Dakota.
Statue No. 52.
Dedicated June 20, 2009- Hartwick Pines State Park, Michigan.
Dedicated by Chapter 129 and placed in the area of the state park's
logging museum north of Grayling. The unveiling was part of the 90th
Anniversary celebration of the Michigan State parks.  Statue
No. 53. Dedicated October 11, 2009-Guernsey State Park, Wyoming.
Coordinated by the Friends of Guernsey State Park. An unusual
fall snow caused dedication plans to change and another event of
celebration will be arranged under fairer skies.
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