October 3, 2014

Posing on a CCC Bridge

Near Mathias, West Virginia


Frank took this picture of me at a footbridge in Lost River State Park. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built this bridge and other structures out of logs that were cut in the park.

If you are not familiar with the CCC, it was a New Deal Program starting in 1933. Many young men who needed jobs found them in the CCC,  building parks and doing other conservation work.

Today this bridge and other structures are in need of repair.  I wanted to pose on the bridge because of a personal experience. When I was two years old, I fell from a bridge much like this one — not in this park, but in another one built by the CCC. I landed on the rocks in the creek and had to be rushed to a hospital for stitches on my forehead. I only know of the incident because my parents told me later and I have a scar, although I have a vague memory of my mother comforting me in the car on the way to the hospital in Marion.

Or maybe I remember a little more. I'm certain the bridge looked like this.


8 comments:

  1. some history on the bridge builders and personal history on the bridges. :)

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  2. It is a pretty shot of you on the bridge.. The CCC sounds like a great program..Have a happy weekend!

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  3. Sounds like a sd memory but I'm glad you ended up being OK!

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  4. Amazing work the CCC did. We were very impressed driving through Shenandoah and the Smokies.

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  5. Interesting looking bridge. You're lucky you weren't hurt worse than that falling at such a young age.

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  6. Ouch! The bridge certainly looks well worth making the repairs. Concepts like the CCC did good work back in the day, and kept a lot of people going when they really needed it.

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  7. Looks like a sturdy bridge with those big poles. Nice to see you. Sorry it brought back a bad memory.

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  8. Blue seems to be your color!! Kids seem to be able to fall much better as kids then adults. Maybe because we were closer to the ground then.

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