American Legion Forest CCC Shelter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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American Legion Forest CCC Shelter
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Loop 3 of group camping area, American Legion State Forest, Barkhamsted, Connecticut |
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| Area | 6.5 acres (2.6 ha) |
| Built | 1935 |
| Architect | Civilian Conservation Corps |
| Architectural style | Adirondack-Rustic |
| MPS | Connecticut State Park and Forest Depression-Era Federal Work Relief Programs Structures TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 86001725 |
| Added to NRHP | September 4, 1986 |
The American Legion Forest CCC Shelter is a special old building. It's a rustic log shelter found in the American Legion State Forest in Barkhamsted, Connecticut. This shelter is very important because it's the only one left of four similar buildings. These were built by a group called the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). It's also one of only two CCC shelters still standing in the whole state of Connecticut. Because it's so unique, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
Contents
About the CCC Shelter
The American Legion Forest CCC Shelter is located in a camping area. It's on "loop three" of the group campsites. This area used to be called Camp White. In the 1930s, Camp White was where the CCC members lived. They worked to improve the forest.
What the Shelter Looks Like
The shelter is built from logs. It has three sides and sits on stone supports. The roof slopes down, being short in the front and long in the back. It's quite low, so you have to duck a bit inside. The roof was originally made of wood shingles. Now, it has newer materials to protect it.
History of the Forest and the CCC
The American Legion State Forest started in 1927. It was a gift to the state from a local group called the American Legion. Over the next ten years, the forest grew to be very large, more than 700 acres.
The Civilian Conservation Corps
From 1933 to 1941, the CCC had a camp called Camp White in this forest. The CCC was a program during the Great Depression. It gave young men jobs. They worked on projects to help the environment. In this forest, the CCC crews mostly built roads and trails. They also built four of these special log shelters.
Other Shelters
This particular shelter was the only one built within the American Legion Forest itself. The other three shelters were in Peoples State Forest. That forest is just across the West Branch Farmington River. Sadly, those three shelters are no longer standing. This shelter is similar to others built by the CCC. These include the Cream Hill Shelter and the Red Mountain Shelter. Those were built along what was then the Appalachian Trail.
