Silver Falls, near Crosbyton, Texas
(Picture from TexDOT Expressway web site):
Silver Falls wasn’t the first stop on my day out,
but it’s important because it was originally a CCC project
in Crosby County during the worst of the Dust Bowl.
It was renovated in 2004 to include a tornado shelter,
real (and handicap-accessible) restrooms, a drinking fountain, and picnic tables with shelter/shades. And wireless Internet access.
I go every other year or so. I usually hike down to the falls themselves, about 300 yards from this building and about 175 feet lower in elevation; the falls are actually under the US highway outside this rest area. There is a very small, walk-over dam, a brick pump house about the size of the average closet, and a scattering of CCC-built native-stone and cement picnic tables on the south side of the riverbed, with attendant fire pits, all in the shade of really venerable cottonwoods and pecans.
Front page
Pee-Kahns
Nice, Sarah. Smart to take the time to step outside of the hustle and everyday to touch the earth and feel things that are real and grounded.
Had some friends, long time past, with property out to the Hill Country near Johnson City. Old farmhouse with a big wide porch, some outbuildings, couple of ponds, the obligatory cottonwoods and an acre-plus old pecan orchard. Good sized herd of deer foraged in the pecans come fall, along with the squirrels. Very tasty venison. Squirrel weren’t bad either.
A lot of CCC, and WPA, work still functional out here in CA, as with all across the West. We had a revival of sorts under Jerry Brown who started the California Conservation Corps while Governor, in 1976. The focus is primarily as a diversion program for troubled youth, in lieu of juvenile detention or county jail. Mostly environmental cleanup and restoration, with some fire and flood support labor. The motto is “Hard work, low pay, miserable conditions and more.” Intent is to provide structure and moral guidance to those in need of same, with education and job skills training as integral components. The vast majority of participants gain either a high school diploma or a GED, and many go on to state college using scholarship credits earned in service.
Work hard, get trained, become productive, move off the government program and out into society as a responsible citizen, sounds like a conservative’s wet dream doesn’t it? Wonder why then that every Republican Governor since 1992 has cut the CCC budget? Maybe the disproportionately high percentage of young people of color in the program – nah, that couldn’t be it.
WPA and CCC – Franklin Roosevelt, Democrat
California Conservation Corps – Jerry Brown, Democrat
AmeriCorps – Bill Clinton, Democrat
Just saying.
damn you, bringiton! again!
oh, how i wished you watched the same tv shows as i did, there’s a perfect ref for this moment i’d share with you.
anyway- what bio said about the CCC and other jobcorps programs from dems. i suspect we’ll be looking at them again, soon.
Puh-cons
yeah, I’m thinkin’ maybe I need to do a post ’bout some of the CCC work that’s still up and running here in Texas. Much of it was done in (and for) our state parks, like the stone cabins at Palo Duro Canyon. We’ve had a nutjob administration in place for far too long, but this year TP&WD actually got fully funded; maintenance and improvements (“improvements” being “restored to function” in most cases) planned for many parks are designed NOT to take away the CCC-built original structures, and to enhance or repeat the ambiance (“rustic” look, use of local materials, etc.) of the originals. A Good Thing IMNVHO.
Damned by CD
Though unclear exactly why. I do understand that being cursed by you is more blessed than being kissed by an angel but I have no idea what was done to deserve it. Call me slow.
Do share with us your tv program tastes, how do you know I don’t watch them too? Or maybe you’ll convert me unless it’s Oprah, whom I can’t abide.
Going to be a lot of work needs doing here at home and a lot of idle hands needing work. Seems to me better to use the government with a 5% overhead like Medicare versus private contractors.
Sarah, funny how the older styles and materials are looking pretty good right about now. So little outgassing of carcinogens from thick stone walls, bug-proof, zero maintenance, 2000 year life span. CCC construction as the standard of excellence, whoda thunk it?