Mountain Memories: CCC Camp Life

Mount Rainier National Park had six Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps operating during the 1930s. Each camp hosted 200 men, who returned after a hard day’s work to rest and refuel. A typical breakfast was oatmeal with canned Hawaiian pineapple while dinner might be beef stew, garden vegetables, and mashed potatoes. Recreation included baseball and other sports, reading, and music. The US Army provided discipline in the camps, while park rangers gave naturalist talks and led fishing and hiking excursions.

Mount Rainier National Park Archives Footage (mora_24690, excerpt of “Emergency Conservation Work in Mount Rainier National Park”). No audio. Available with audio description at https://go.nps.gov/MMem-CCCCampLife.