Here is a cut-stone structure done in the classic CCC style. It commemorates the work that Civilian Conservation Corps Company 556 did to build Pokagon State Park, and gives some history of the Park, the CCC, and the Company.
This monument was built by one of the CCC "boys", who has never left Pokagon behind. He built this monument to honor his CCC comrades who did such a great job at helping to build the National and State Parks.
He related that each mason had a "signature" for the work they did. They didn't sign it with their name, because of course you didn't want anyone to know that it was
you that did that stonework if it didn't hold together! However, they all had one special thing they did to say, "I did this." This person's signature was to put a "puddingstone" right in the middle of his work. Look for the "puddingstone", which is an aggregate rock of one big grey rock with lots of smaller rocks, such as jasper and quartz, inside it, in the middle of the front face of this monument.
The Civilian Conservation Corps camp was located in this general area, between the current locations of the Pokagon Nature Center and the Toboggan Slide (also a CCC structure). To look there today, you'd hardly know the camp even existed, as nature has covered it back up.For example, some of the lilacs and evergreens planted in this area by the CCC are still in existence.
However, some of the remaining features cannot be so easily eradicated. In 1998, the Pokagon staff uncovered some remaining features, including some cement footings, a decorative pool, and the camp flagpole base!
From these points, and with a map of the camp and known dimensions of the buildings, they were able to pinpoint and "stake out" the building sites. They have reported that it was incredible to see how the sites meshed perfectly with the now overgrown plantings of conifers and lilacs.
The photo here shows the old CCC camp at Pokagon:
Stop and sit a while at the park benches and picnic tables, play at the playground, and soak up the history of Pokagon State Park and the Civilian Conservation Corps' wonderful legacy to the future.
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This listing was created with extensive help from Fred Wooley, Interpretive Naturalist for Pokagon State Park, and columnist for the Herald-Republican newspaper. We thank him for his assistance and copies of his articles, without which we would not have been able to provide these listings.