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Small & Mighty

Connection Magazine

A historic effort creates a legacy

By Anne Braly

Each year, more than 100,000 people visit Blanco State Park, known for its history and watery fun.

As state parks go, Blanco State Park is not among the largest in Texas. In fact, in a state known for big things, Blanco encompasses just 1 mile along both sides of the Blanco River. But what it lacks in size at a mere 105 acres, it makes up with big fun in the great outdoors.

The park attracts visitors from all over, more than 100,000 annually. Among the favorite activities available are swimming in the shallow water and splashing down with a cannonball in the deeper water beyond the dam. There is camping along the banks of the Blanco, and many hiking paths crisscross the park. Anglers can fish for bass, catfish, rainbow trout and perch — no license required. You can also canoe, tube or kayak along the gentle current. It’s all part of an average day of fun at Blanco.

A Proud Workforce

But all of this wouldn’t be possible without the work of the men who joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, known as the CCC, during the Great Depression. They did the backbreaking work required to create pavilions, picnic tables, walls, and other structures on the land and dams on the river — all using stone quarried nearby.

The CCC, established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was a godsend to unemployed America after the Depression hit, sparked by the stock market crash on Oct. 24, 1929, a day that goes down in history as Black Thursday. By 1933, the unemployment rate in the United States stood at a staggering 24.9%.

“Imagine yourself with little food, less money, and no job. This was the case for many during the Great Depression,” says Daniel Kellogg, park interpreter and volunteer coordinator at Blanco State Park.

In April 1933, the CCC began putting men to work across America, 50,000 in Texas alone. Blanco State Park became one of the first four Texas state parks to receive a CCC team — 177 CCC workers, all between the ages of 17 and 25, and a corps of engineers. The young men were paid $30 monthly, most of which went home to their families, Kellogg says. In addition, they were provided clothing, food, and medical care.

“The Civilian Conservation Corps was vital in the construction of state and national parks, the interstate system and many roads, bridges, and dams across the nation,” Kellogg says.

Built Strong

During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps built lasting structures with stone from nearby quarries.

The craftsmanship of the men of the CCC can be seen in many places around the park. They built two 7-foot-high dams of stone quarried from the riverbed. They constructed roads, two concrete bridges and a concession house made sturdy with 18-inch stone walls, pine timbers, and shingles. There was also a “tree army” responsible for pruning trees and shrubs and planting shade and fruit trees.

Those trees still stand, and park structures were built so well that they remain in use some 90 years after the last stone was laid and the last nail was hammered. These include the CCC-built picnic area and pavilion, which may be reserved for group gatherings.

Glen Rose limestone in the park gives the terrain a stair-step appearance. The riverbed contains layers of limestone and softer marl — a natural mixture of clay and lime — that were formed when a shallow sea covered the area that is now the Hill Country.

Archaeologists have discovered fossil zones with ancient clams and oysters along the river, and on nearby property, dinosaur tracks have been preserved in the streambed. Today, you can grab your binoculars and look for deer, armadillos, and a variety of birds living among the pines, hardwoods, and other vegetation.

Blanco State Park offers a day — or a night or two — of ancient and modern history, adventures along the river, and a break from the everyday. For a virtual tour of the park, visit Texas Parks & Wildlife page on Blanco.

Citizens Reshaped the Landscape

From the depths of the Great Depression came one of the greatest investments in the American landscape. The Civilian Conservation Corps, known as the CCC, enlisted unemployed young men to work on land conservation and park development projects.

More than 50,000 CCC enrollees served in Texas. They worked 6 days a week under National Park Service and Army supervision. The CCC constructed parks from the ground up across the state, creating the Texas State Park system.

Some of the best examples of their work can be found at Blanco State Park, but other parks also showcase their efforts.

  • Bastrop State Park. Native cedar, pine, oak and walnut were used in the construction of hand-carved mantels, roof beams, and furniture for cabins made of native stone. 
  • Davis Mountains State Park. Of note is the CCC’s 15-room pueblo-style lodge constructed in 1933 using handmade adobe bricks and wood cut from nearby. The ceilings were made of reeds collected along the Rio Grande. 
  • Garner State Park. Check out the massive fireplace in the mess hall that uses stone CCC workers extracted from a nearby creek. 
  • Goliad State Park & Historic Site. Between 1935 and 1941, the CCC conducted archaeological research at the park. Crews erected a grave marker at the site where Col. James Fannin surrendered to Mexican troops in 1836, and they constructed a stadium and auditorium. 
  • Palo Duro Canyon State Park. In addition to adding a water system and several bridges, the CCC quarried native stone to build El Coronado Lodge and six other cabins.