The Story of the 517th Company But it wasn’t all conservation work for the Image courtesy Frank Wilson CCC. The men not only learned valuable African The Civilian Conservation was trade skills, they received an education in established in 1933 by President Franklin the classroom as well. The young men Image courtesy Frank Wilson D. Roosevelt as one of the first programs took classes on a variety of topics Americans in the New Deal. The CCC was designed including mechanical drawing, typing, as a work program for young men from 18 foreign languages, and art. There were in Indiana’s to 25. The young men would sign up for a extracurricular activities as well, including renewable six month term in which they boxing, debating, and a singing quartet. Civilian would work on projects mostly related to land management and park construction. Indiana had fifty-six CCC companies, The leaders of 517th Company at Conservation They received a $30 per month stipend, eight of which were African American. Camp Wyandotte $25 of which was sent home to their Despite wording in the legislation that families. A number of Indiana’s State created the CCC that disallowed Come and see history at Corps Parks were built by the Civilian discrimination, the program was O’Bannon Woods State Park Conservation Corps. The CCC was and segregated based on race because of the 7234 Old Forest Road SW Corydon, IN 47112 prevailing racial attitudes of the day. The remains one of the most popular programs 812.738.8232 of the New Deal. 517th, which had about two hundred and fifty men, was the largest and most Questions or Comments? The 517th Company of the Civilian enduring of Indiana’s African-American Benjamin Clark, M.A. Conservation Corps was established in companies. Other African-American Chief of Cultural Resources 1934. After training at Fort Knox, companies were stationed in Bloomington, DNR of State Parks and Reservoirs Kentucky the 517th was stationed in Mitchell, Evansville, Cromwell and several 402 W. Washington Room W298 Corydon at Camp Wyandotte from May, other locations throughout the state. Indianapolis, IN 46204 1934 to October, 1937. From there the 317.694.5111 (cell) company moved to South Bend for two 317.234.6442 (office) years and then on to Portland in eastern [email protected]

Indiana for its final two years. The 517th Co. CCC, company finally disbanded in 1941 as the Camp Wyandotte, Further reading: country turned its attention toward the -“A Remembrance of the CCC,” the Commercial S-86, Corydon, Indiana escalating conflict in Europe. While at Review, Portland, Indiana, October 7, 1994 Camp Wyandotte, the 517th graded roads, -Robert Sander, “CCC Camp #517,” Outdoor built stone walls, planted many trees, and Indiana, Vol. 59, No. 2, March/April 1994 -Benjamin Clark, “New Deal or ‘Raw Deal,’ MA constructed buildings that still stand today. Image courtesy Frank Wilson Indiana State Parks & Reservoirs thesis, scholarworks.iupui.edu/handle/1805/2009

The 517th even helped victims of the -William Meyers Collection, Indiana Historical 402 W. Washington Room W298 A CCC worker posing by a truck loaded devastating 1937 flood that impacted with trees for planting Society Indianapolis, IN 46204 many of Indiana’s Ohio River -Civilian Conservation Corps Company 517 communities. Photographs, Indiana Historical Society www.stateparks.IN.gov Frank Wilson’s Story Cash Register in Muncie. In his interview 517th, Meyers was transferred to Fort O’Bannon Woods State Park with the Commercial Review, reflecting on Benjamin Harrison, where he became a After dropping out of school in the his time in the CCC Wilson said “I’ve had senior foreman for Company 3550. He The area where the 517th Company eighth grade, Frank Wilson saw the a real good life and it all stems from the was discharged in 1937. worked was purchased by the Indiana Civilian Conservation Corps as a great CCC Camp. That was a good life for Department of Conservation in 1932. opportunity to work, so he decided to young men who were just on the streets Following his time in the CCC, Meyers Following the work of the 517th planting join Roosevelt’s Tree in 1934. He when we started.” enjoyed a long and fruitful career. After forests and building recreation facilities, two and a half decades as an Indianapolis the site became Harrison-Crawford State was attached to the 517th Company and Image courtesy Frank Wilson headed to Fort Knox, Kentucky to firefighter, he changed careers and began Forest. O’Bannon Woods State Park, receive training. A month later he and working for Indiana National Bank. established in 2005, is nestled within the the rest of the 517th were in Corydon at Meyers was also active in civic 26,000 acre state forest bordering the Ohio Camp Wyandotte. leadership. He served as a precinct River. The park was named in honor of committeeman, was appointed to the then-Indiana Governor Frank O’Bannon, a Wilson started out as a laborer in the Marion County Tax Adjustment Board, Corydon native, following his untimely CCC. But after about a year, because of and was elected to the Indianapolis death. some cooking classes he had taken in School Board. school, he was transferred to kitchen The park offers modern electric campsites In the 1937 edition of the Ft. Ben Banner, duties. Wilson was sent to Fort Benjamin Frank Wilson and friends posing for a picture while and primitive and youth camping in the Harrison for special training. He also taking a break from conservation work the CCC camp’s newsletter, Meyers nearby Stagestop Campground. Indiana’s received a small increase in pay and the wrote an essay titled “What I Have Got first natural and scenic river, Blue River, chance to remain in the CCC longer than out of the CCC Personally.” Regarding flows through the state park and forest with William Meyers’s Story his experiences, he wrote that “the youth the normal six month term. Wilson was a canoe access ramp in Stagestop with the 517th throughout its existence, of the United States had never received Campground. The Corydon Capitol State William Meyers graduated from Crispus the best kind of training until the creation from Corydon to South Bend to Portland. Attucks High School in 1932 and after Historic Site is located near the park. of the Civilian Conservation Corps…” Visitors can learn about early Indiana working various jobs for a couple of years, Extolling the education he gained during Later in life, Wilson shared that he was joined the 517th Company of the CCC in history as they tour the old town square unsure of how an African-American his time in the CCC, Meyers concluded and the beautiful first state capitol building, 1934. his essay by writing that the CCC taught company would be received by the towns where they were stationed. In an him “how to live—what to live for—and Image courtesy O’Bannon Woods State Park Meyers showed a knack for leadership where to live best.” interview in 1994 for Portland, Indiana’s early on. He began as a laborer for the Commercial Review, Wilson stated that CCC but soon worked his way up to “there were 250 of us after all. It was an foreman. Meyers also became head of “A” all black unit. And It worried a lot of the barracks. For recreation, he sang in a towns we went into” he said. “But it was quartet along with Frank Wilson and two a good bunch of fellows and I think we other members of the 517th. Their singing had the best reception of all in Portland.” was heard on local Louisville radio After leaving the CCC in 1941, Wilson stations. After his time in Corydon with the Image courtesy Indiana Historical Society, M0741 worked for twenty-five years at National William Meyers and his barracks mates Property Manager’s residence, built by the 517th in 1937