The Boys
of Shenandoah
"I signed up to be a cook, and they gave me a shovel." Arthur Emory
The boys of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) completed many projects while camps in Shenandoah National Park were in operation. These projects include:
- 101 miles of trails built
- 4,001 signs and markers constructed and inistalled
- 136 miles of telephone line installed
- 147,595 trees and shrubs planted or moved
- 1,145 miles of fire hazard trails built
- 28 sewage systems installed
- 165 miles of horse trails built
Although they came to do "men's work," the CCC were and always would be known as "boys." Thousands of young men cycled through the Civilian Conservation Corps in Shenandoah National Park. What they accomplished prepared the park for the millions of visitors who would come to enjoy the views, hike the trails, and return home relaxed and rejuvenated from their experiences in Shenandoah National Park.
Every single one of those "boys" has his own story—the details of why he came, what he did, and how his experience in the CCC affected his life an future.
Meet Three of the Boys
Click on a photo to learn more about them.
During the nine years the Civilian Conservation Corps existed in Shenandoah National Park, their role was one of addition, subtraction, modification, and elimination. The more than 6,000 "boys" who came to Shenandoah not only created the park as we know it today, they became men who left their legacy for our future generations to enjoy.