Lost CCC Camp:

In 1933 President Roosevelt started the Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC, to try and solve two problems; reforestation of the nation's timber resources, and unemployment during the great depression. The CCC, consisting mostly of men 18 - 20 years old, set up camps in each state to house the men during their time of employment. There were roughly 22 CCC camps in the Great Smoky Mountains from 1933 - 1942, and as many as 4,000 men woked in these camps, reforesting the area and building fire towers and fire roads.

In 1942, at the start of World War II, the CCC camps were closed down and abandoned. Most of the nation's money was now being used to fund thier fight in WWII, and most of the men were needed to fight in the military and the CCC camps turned to ghost towns. There are still some remains of one of these camps near Smokemont. A chimney, a drinking fountain, a fire hydrant, a sign board and many other artifacts are visible in the ever thickening forest that would not be here if not for the CCC camps themselves.