A Lasting Legacy: The Civilian Conservation Corps and South Carolina’s State Parks

As part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) performed a variety of work throughout the Palmetto State, including soil conservation, reforestation, fire prevention, and the development of recreational areas. The work of the CCC in South Carolina provided the genesis of South Carolina’s state park system. The first state park opened in July 1936 in Myrtle Beach, and by 1938, fourteen state parks had opened and over 450,000 people had visited them. The CCC buildings, roads, and landscapes in many of South Carolina’s state parks stand as reminders of the lasting legacy provided by the young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps.