The Civilian Conservation Corps, started by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, made our state parks what they are today. Not only did these boys (as they were endearlingly called) work in Indiana, but throughout the entire country developing parks, protecting forests, and on soil conservation projects. White, Black, Native American, and Hispanic -- young men from all walks of life left their fingerprints on our country.

I learned so much about the CCC from Glory-June Greiff whose book you can purchase on her website or potentially find at your local library. I also learned about the CCC from the book The Complete Guide to Indiana State Parks by Nathan D. Strange. In addition, the Indiana Historical Society was an enormous help in finding pictures of the boys and issues of the CCC company newsletters. I'm also hugely indebted to Katie Martin (no relation) for her excellent research. She and others wrote about Marshall Carter, but it was her work that directed me to his poem.

I also found information about the CCC on the Steuben County website, read interviews with Roger Woodcock in the Whitley County paper, learned about several African-American enrollees through the DNR's research, and learned about CCC companies nationwide on the CCC Legacy site.

Any mistakes are my own.

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Come along with me to Pokagon State Park and let's tackle the 8-mile-long Hell's Point Challenge together! We'll learn all about the park including the Pokagon band of the Potawatomi, the CCC young men, the wide variety of park habitats, the Potawatomi Inn, stable barn, toboggan run, and more. We'll also learn a few hacks for how to get the most out of the toboggan run and how you can cheat the system for an easier way to complete the Hell's Point Challenge!

While this episode is coming out AFTER the toboggan run closes, you’ll want to keep it in mind for next year! You should definitely book a room at the Potawatomi Inn. And be sure to support the Friends of Pokagon and check them out at their open meeting on April 6th.

Any mistakes are my own.

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What do a 200 year old grist mill and an astronaut have in common? Quite a lot actually! We head back to Spring Mill State Park to learn about the cultural impact of the place. You'll get a lesson in physics, history, and space travel as we learn about the pioneer village, the mill, and Gus Grissom. Plus, you'll find out what happened to the mill a couple years ago and how the reopening progress is going!

The episode also touches on the CCC African American Company 539, how a volcano eruption in Indonesia affected Indiana, and plans to reopen the village's old distillery.

If you want to learn more about The Year Without a Summer, check this out.

I'm confident there are errors in this episode that have to do with my limited understanding of physics and mill operations. Rest assured, those are my own mistakes and do not reflect the park staff's knowledge and competence!

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