Civilian Conservation Corps Archaeology and Preservation Near Castle Rock, Colorado

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In 1934, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp DPE-203-C/SCS-7-C was established along McMurdo Gulch near Castle Rock, Colorado. Over the next seven years, CCC enrollees dramatically transformed the surrounding landscape with diverse water and erosion control features. The conservation techniques the CCC shared with local farmers and ranchers overhauled agricultural practices and reinvigorated the Depression-era economy. Today, suburban housing developments are encroaching on this historic vernacular landscape. Since 2014, PaleoWest Archaeology has worked with SLV Castle Oaks, LLC (SLV), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the State Historic Preservation Officer to record and preserve the remains and legacy of CCC Camp DPE-203-C/SCS-7-C. Combining archaeological inventory, historical research, engineering drawings, and public education, PaleoWest has identified the camp and dozens of features and guided preservation and interpretation efforts. Extensive and complex, these CCC features should not be considered mere remnants of the past, but integral elements of the modern landscape.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 25252