Don’t miss Dollar-a-Day-Boys: A Musical Tribute to the Civilian Conservation Corps featuring author, songwriter, filmmaker Bill Jamerson at the library this Tuesday, May 31 at 6:30pm!  Enjoy a fun nostalgic look at the 1930’s Federal Works Program that gave employment to 3.5 million men.  Bill promises hilarious stories, foot tapping songs and a short video that will make this a “must see” experience.

Photos of CCC boys in Chatfield from Dorothy McConnell’s album, courtesy of Mary Harrison.

Jeanette Dragvold mentions some interesting information about the Chatfield CCC camp in an article she wrote for the Fillmore County Journal in 2003:

In a June, 1933 issue of the Chatfield News, a journalist reported on the first CCC camp settled in Fillmore County.

Chatfield Camp

“A tented city was established in short order last Friday upon arrival of Company 1755 of the Civilian Conservation Corp. The men, numbering 170, arrived here by special train from Des Moines at 7:30 with Major Leroy Watson, commanding officer.”

Because the CCC was a government organization, military officers and enlisted men ran the camps somewhat like the military and also made sure that everything ran smoothly for the workers. The Chatfield camp included twenty tents, using eleven for sleeping and the rest for officers, supplies, hospitals, various mess halls, recreation, etc. A small “city” of tents was erected in only half a day. The camp even had electricity and telephones.

The men were paid $30 per month but could get anywhere from $36-$45 if they showed special skills in different areas, such as leadership. During the time in which the CCC camp resided in Chatfield, they worked on water mains, dams and a swimming pool on the river, improvement to farm property, and highways.

Dragvold, Jeanette. “CCC and WPA Are an Important Part of Local History.”Fillmore County Journal. Fillmore County Journal, 19 Sept. 2003. Web. 24 May 2016.