Civilian Conservation Corps research resources

November 11, 2022 1:19 PM

I am trying to find information on the CCC 3689th company from January through July 1940, in based in/working around Mt. Pleasant, Utah, probably Camp #SCS-5 -- what they worked on, records, narratives, whatever. Or places I could find those things. (I already have the national archives records of the individual, we're now trying to figure out what he did.) We know he worked as a surveyor/part of a survey crew.

I believe the "SCS" in "SCS-5" means they were doing Soil Conservation, but I'm not 100% sure

Nerds, activate!

posted by Eyebrows McGee to Society & Culture (5 answers total)

"The Civilian Conservation Corps in Utah collection contains images from various CCC camps throughout Utah, in both black and white and color, taken and collection by members of the CCC. This collection also has newsletters published by individual camps" - Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement
(SCS stands for Soil Conservation Service; The SCS was created by the Soil Conservation Act of 1935 [text])
Kenneth W. Baldridge's "The Civilian Conservation Corps in Utah, 1933-1942" details the work performed, life in the camps, etc.
First-hand account, CCC worker in Mt. Pleasant, Utah ("I was in charge of the horses when I was in the Mount Pleasant camp... The workhorses were the most important part of camp.")
How to Research a Civilian Conservation Corps Worker, at Family Tree
"This photograph collection consists of 314 photographs of Civilian Conservation Corps in the Intermountain West, built in the Depression Era of the 1930s." October 1939 photo of company 3689; CCC photos from 1940-1941; at Mountain West Digital Library
Additional resources for the CCC in Mt. Pleasant, Utah (1939-1942) at this 2021 history hub Q&A
posted by Iris Gambol at 5:07 PM on November 11, 2022 [2 favorites]

The Prelinger Library has a number of CCC camp newsletters in their holdings, especially from the West Coast. A lot of the newsletters had mentions about the goings-on within each camp of the enlistees. Might be worth reaching out to see if they have the newsletters from this camp.
posted by mostly vowels at 5:10 PM on November 11, 2022

"The work of the CCC assigned to the SCS focused on applying soil conservation techniques to control erosion of agricultural lands and streambanks. Among other things, the young men contoured fields, terraced hillsides, planted cover crops, built small dams, erected fencing, and assisted in nurseries." - The Bureau of Reclamation's Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy: 1933-1942 (491 pgs), at National Parks Service History breaks out camps and project assignments
posted by Iris Gambol at 5:41 PM on November 11, 2022 [1 favorite]

You've probably already found this website CCC Legacy, which has history including what the codes mean - which affirms that SCS=Soil Conservation.

For CCC Camps in Utah it has this:
Project: SCS-5... Company: 3689... Date: 7/18/1938... Railroad: Mt. Pleasant; Post Office: Mt. Pleasant; Location: 1 mi SE

The SCS-5 project seems to have also been done by other companies in similar area at different times:

SCS-5... Co. 6430... 7/8/1940... Mt. Pleasant, Mt. Pleasant, 1 mi NE
SCS-5... Co. 4780... 10/29/1936... Mt. Pleasant, Mt. Pleasant, 1 mi NE
SCS-5... Co. 578... 11/26/1941... Mt. Pleasant, Mt. Pleasant, 1 mi NE
posted by LobsterMitten at 6:19 PM on November 11, 2022 [1 favorite]

San Pete Rocket, 1938-1939 newsletter has been digitized.
posted by zepheria at 6:27 PM on November 11, 2022 [2 favorites]