Coming of age in the Great Depression

In the depths of the Great Depression, one of the bright spots in Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal was the Civilian Conservation Corps. For 3,000,000 young men across the United States it was the difference between starvation and survival; it was an opportunity to help their families financially; it was the means of learning skills, trades, and obtaining an education; it was a coming of age where they became mature, disciplined and productive citizens. The CCC camps in New Mexico provided over 50,000 young men from the state and across the nation with these valuable opportunities. The men were not only beneficiaries. The New Mexico State Parks system became a reality because the CCC work on park sites. Flood control in the form of dams and conservation projects aided communities, farmers, and ranchers. Many of the camps worked at National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service locations. The CCC conservation and construction projects were so well built that many are still used today. Their