Civilian Conservation Corps Camp – Crow Creek

Camps SCS-1 and SCS-5: located E on hilltop, W end of dam. Companies: 2753 - - 7/31/34-10/20/34 2740 - - 5/25/35-8/17/35 4726 - - 7/27/35-5/15/38 774 - - 4/20/36-10/15/36 The Civilian Conservation Corps was a federal relief program during 1933-1942 that gave jobless men work renovating abused lands.

The Army built 48 200-man camps in South Dakota and provided food, clothing, medical care, pay and programs of education, recreation and religion for 23,709 enrollees (single men aged 17-25 who sent $25 of their $30 wage to their families) and war veterans. Camps and work projects were supervised by another 2834 men.

The Office of Indian Affairs ran smaller units for 4554 American Indians. Camp Crow Creek was part of a national CCC program to reclaim deteriorated lands, conserve water, reduce soil erosion and build recreational areas. Work was supervised by the Soil Erosion Service. CCs used the best equipment available for two shifts a day to construct Crow Creek dam.

It was 55 feet high and 1700 feet including a 380 foot concrete spillway wide. It retained runoff from a 1000 square mile watershed to form Lake Bedashosho. The lake was 40 feet deep and 4 1/2 miles long. Camp enrollment was 400 while the Missourians were in Camp SCS-5. They used facilities of camp SCS-1 but lived in a tent camp located North of the messhall.

Erected in 1991 by CCC Alumni, the South Dakota State Historical Society, the South Dakota Department of Transportation and Soil Conservation Service.