Conserving the corps : a conditions assessment of civilian conservation corps resources in Salamonie River State Forest Wabash County, Indiana

• Main Author: Mancini, Rachel Leigh
• Other Authors: Cairns, Malcolm D.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Conservation of natural resources.; Historic sites > Indiana > Conservation and restoration.; Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.); Salamonie River State Forest.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/186342; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1101593

New Deal programs, like the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), were developed by President Roosevelt during the 1930's to soften the economic and unemployment problems of the Great Depression. Indiana based CCC Company 589 created and sculpted the land now known as Salamonie River State Forest in Wabash County. This study evaluated the conditions of the historic and existing landscape of Salamonie River State Forest, with the intent of educating forest personnel about the role of the CCC in manipulating the property. Through identification and preservation, the CCC resources can then be interpreted to the public.Years of work transformed the abandoned farmland into a lush recreational area for hunters, fishermen, and other visitors. Today much of the vegetation has grown into a dense forest as intended, but other CCC resources have fallen into disrepair, been demolished, or forgotten. The condition assessments of the landscape, architecture,archaeology, and historic documents are the first steps in evaluating the landscape for a preservation treatment plan. The overall condition of Salamonie River State Forest and its Civilian Conservation Corps resources is good; however these resources need to be protected and preserved to insure their longevity for future generations. === Department of Architecture