McMillan Woods CCC camp facts for kids
The McMillan Woods CCC camp was a special camp for young men during the Great Depression. It was part of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a program that helped young men find work and improve national parks. This camp, known as NP-2, was located near the Gettysburg Battlefield in Pennsylvania. It was planned in September 1933 and opened soon after.
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Life at the McMillan Woods Camp
The McMillan Woods CCC camp was set up near another camp called Camp Renaissance (NP-1) in Pitzer Woods. Captain Francis J. Moran became the first commander of the McMillan Woods camp in October 1933. Other leaders included Charles Heilman in 1936 and Major Renn Lawrence in 1937.
Daily Activities and Buildings
The young men at the camp worked hard on many projects. In 1934, they got a new recreation hall, a place where they could relax and have fun after work. The camp also played a big role in preparing for the 1938 Gettysburg reunion. This was a huge event where many veterans of the American Civil War came together.
Helping Veterans at the Reunion
The CCC camp provided workers to help build the special area for the veterans during the 1938 reunion. About 50 young men from CCC Company #1355-C acted as helpers for veterans who came without family or friends. During this time, a part of the United States Army also used the CCC camp as their base. Captain Frederick L. Slade was the camp commander in April 1939.
A New Chapter for the Camp
In 1939, the McMillan Woods CCC camp became very special. It was the first CCC camp to have an "all colored staff." This meant that all the leaders and supervisors were African American. The previous white supervisors moved to the Blue Knob CCC camp. The camp even had a singing quartet that performed for the public in 1939!
Important Projects and Changes
The young men at the camp continued their work, helping to build Jones Battalion avenue and creating a new walkway on Big Round Top. Captain Webb was the commander in 1940. By March 1942, the McMillan Woods CCC camp was scheduled to close down. After the CCC program ended, the camp facility was used for a different purpose. From 1944 to 1945, it became a prisoner of war (POW) camp during World War II.
