Book documents Civilian Conservation Corps work in county during depression

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The Civilian Conservation Corps accomplished great works in flood control and soil and water conservation in Lincoln County from 1933 to 1942.

A book on the effort was compiled as a public service by Lenard Smith, who worked for the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) for 30 years (the last 20 in Lincoln County, 1965 to 1985) with some of the SCS specialists that included engineering, soils and range grazing. 

Emma Clark assisted in assembling the book. No profit was made from the creation and publication of these books and they are being sold for $50, less than the cost of creation. As a result, a limited number of books are available for sale.

Courtesy Photo – A new book compiled by Lenard Smith documents the service provided by the Civilian Conservation Corps in Lincoln County from 1933 to 1942. A limited number of copies are available.

The book discusses the lost history of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal that gave Lincoln County a huge start on flood control and rangeland improvements, which were carried out by an army of young single men who were granted employment during the great depression, led by many leaders that included the U.S. Army, the Forest Service, the Extension Service, technicians of the Soil Conservation Service and more. The young workers mingled socially in Lincoln County towns during time off in games of basketball, boxing and others.

Much of the information for this book was gathered from old photos and information in the SCS files and searches of the Pioche and Caliente newspaper archives from the years 1933 to 1942. The books also include local families, many of whom still reside in Lincoln County.A limited number of these books are being sold in the Panaca Market, the Y Service near Panaca on Highway 93, the Pioche Opera House – care of Leslie Derkovitz – and at Lenard Smith’s home at 509 Main Street, Caliente. Books may be obtained by mail by contacting lincolncccbooks@protonmail.com.