CCC Axe

The Civilian Conservation Corps--putting people back to work

This axe was used by a Civilian Conservation Corps laborer working at Pere Marquette State Park between 1933 and 1940, one of more than a dozen state parks that were developed or improved with CCC labor.

CCC was developed by President Franklin Roosevelt during the Great Depression to give work to unemployed men, while at the same time improving the country’s infrastructure and natural resources. During its nine-year run, more than 92,000 men served at one of the 50-plus camps that operated within Illinois. Working by hand, Illinois CCC workers planted 60 million trees, built nearly 400 bridges, created 1,192 miles of trails, and created an additional 13,000 acres of state parks.

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