Students learn more about New Deal programs in West Virginia
MT. CLARE, W.Va. (WBOY) — If you're interested in learning more about the Great Depression and New Deal programs, north central West Virginia has plenty of history to offer, including at the West Virginia Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Museum.
On Tuesday, roughly 30 students from Grafton High School had the chance to learn more about the CCC program, a New Deal program that recruited young single men across the country and gave them jobs to address unemployment rates. The men worked on bridges, roads, planted millions of trees and helped build the infrastructure of national parks. The men made $30 a month, with $25 of that getting sent back home to their families.
Co-op member Judy Wilson explained further.
'The importance of people working together and that's what the CCC was about, it pulled the USA out of the—along with some other agencies—up out of the doldrums and the starving of the great depression, and we need to know that,' Wilson said.
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And on the same property where the CCC Harrison Camp was located, the Quiet Dell School also existed, which is where the museum and West Virginia Heritage Crafts is housed.
Lucky Jones, 10th grader at Grafton High School, was happy to explore and learn more about the history of the area.
'Doing more hands on than sitting behind a desk really helps,' Jones said. 'I think it helps people obtain the information, you know, it gets you out, it gets you exploring…it gets you like involved in it and you can really learn more from that.'
The museum is open to visitors year-round, and its next big event hosted will be the West Virginia Heritage Music Day, presented by the WV Heritage Crafts on April 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring three local old time and blue grass bands.
The museum is open to visitors year-round, admission is free and can be found at 43 Quiet Dell School Rd. in Mt. Clare.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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