History
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to employ thousands of men who were affected by the Great Depression. In the area that would later become the Mark Twain National Forest, hundreds of young men at over 50 CCC sites worked to build roads, construct ranger stations and fire lookouts and plant numerous acres of pine to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of southern Missouri.
Threat
The Forest's Facilities Master Plan, developed in 2005 without public involvement or consultation with the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office, demonstrates a clear preference for new construction over retention of existing historic structures, contrary to several federal mandates. Historic significance is not even listed among the criteria by which the Forest evaluated facilities during the planning process. As a result, implementation of the Plan may lead to the demolition or disposal of up to 70 historic structures on the Forest, and the lack of Forest Service funding for cultural resource stewardship makes reuse and retention difficult.
Solution
Although initially reluctant, Forest management has been working with the National Trust, the Advisory Council on Historic Places, and the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office to consider alternatives to demolition or removal from federal ownership. Since Mark Twain currently offers no recreational rental facilities, there is an opportunity to convert some of the Forest's historic properties - especially those located near the Ozark Trail or heavily used recreational areas - into rental structures, a move that could attract additional visitors to the Forest. Other facilities could be rehabilitated and retained for Forest use.
