CCC Camp

CCC Camp

Pokagon State Park is home to one of the largest collections of remaining Civilian Conservation Corps structures in Indiana. While at Pokagon, Company 556 worked on the following projects: county road bridge, beach and bath house, saddle barn, toboggan run, gatehouse, CCC shelter, group camp, park office, campgrounds and tree planting. The CCC provided jobs to unemployed, single men during the Great Depression. Projects nationwide focused on reclaiming land, enhancing natural areas and building parks.

Almost 64,000 Hoosiers were stationed at CCC camps throughout Indiana. Company 556 was stationed at Pokagon between 1934 and 1942. Before work could begin, a camp of temporary buildings was constructed to house and feed the CCC boys. The camp contained 12 buildings: several barracks, an administration building, recreation hall, mess hall, bath house and latrine. The camp housed about 180 men at any one time. When the Pokagon projects were all completed, the camp was disassembled and removed. Some of the barracks became married student housing for nearby Tri-State University (now Trine University.) They have long since been removed.

Today, you can see the outlines of the original buildings and find several informational signs between the nature center and the toboggan tower. On your way out of the park, visit the CCC pocket museum just across from the main gate. It opened in 2016 and houses several CCC exhibits. It’s open anytime the main gate is staffed.