"Camp Marion Pastime" Newsletters
Fifteen newsletters from CCC Camp Marion can be found in the Kentucky Historical Society ditigal archives at the following link.
Civilian Conservation Corps camp newsletters, MSS 218
The newsletters are titled "Camp Marion Pastime". I have transcribed a couple of articles from these newsletters below.
History Of Camp Marion.
By Lt. Rodenberg.
On July 14, 1933, Co. 1542, C.C.C. departed from Ft. Knox with Co. 1550 of Dixon. The strength of the Co. was 114 men and four officers.
Lt. D. L. Trautman U.S.N. Commanding.
Lt. W.E. Smith U.S.N., Ex. Officer.
Lt. J.S. Taylor 10 Inf. Supply & Mess Off.
Lt. E.J. Rodenberg Med. Officer.
Mr. Ashbrook was on the job as Supt. of the technical service when we arrived. On arriving at Marion we were greeted with showers and found two inches of water on the camp site.
Tents were pitched occupying both sides of the Co. street, and officers row.
The next big task was the proper drainage of the camp site.
Many hours were consumed in digging trenches which proved of tremendous value a few days later when the camp was drenched with tropical storms for 7 days and nights.
Luckily the lower end of the Rhine was widened by a C.W.A. project a short time before.
On July the 20th. the strength of the camp was increased by the addition of 40 new men.
Work was started on the construction of the mess hall and bath house, which were considered to be the best ones in the Corps Area at the time.
The old timers can recollect the disagreeable water situation. The water was pumped from the Spar Mines and chlorinated. It was very unpalatable.
One could hardly bathe with it as it was so hard.
Winter constructions started in Oct.
The camp arrangement was planned by Lt. Trautman and Lt. Hooker. Mr. Pheiffer of Louisville was the Const. Supt.
There had not been a great change in the camp since then except for the departure and arrival of new members.
Note; This is only a brief resume and does not do justice to the remarkable history of the camp, as books could be written upon the subject.
Source: Kentucky Historical Society. Civilian Conservation Corps camp newsletters, MSS 218, Camp Marion Pastime, Volume I, Number 1, July 1934, Page 4, Published at Camp E-59, Marion, KY by Veterans CCC Company 1542.
Camp Landscaping.
By Gilbert R. Melragon.
Situated on the outskirts of Marion, Ky., this Veteran Camp is one of the most praised CCC Camps in the Fifth Corps Area. This praise and admiration for Camp Marion is well deserved. Through the efforts of Captain Markolf, together with the co-operation of the Veterans enrolled at this camp, Camp Marion has grown from an ordinary CCC Camp into a very attractive one.
Contrary to the plans of most camps, Camp Marion is not laid out on a large plot of ground but is more compact yet with ample space being provided for the Veterans stationed here to enjoy the various recreational activities, such as croquet, horse-shoe pitching, tennis and soft ball.
The first thing that impresses the visiting public is, quite naturally, the orderly fashion in which the buildings are arranged. In order to camouflage the bottoms of the barracks, which are all set up off the ground approximately two feet, the Superintendent at this camp had the men dig a good bit of buck-bush from various farms and plant these bushes around each barracks. So far, Camp Marion is the only camp in the District that boasts of having hedges around the barracks.
One of the nice features of this camp is the Rio Rhine, a small stream that flows through the length of the camp, going under the officers quarters and running along the side of the kitchen. The Veterans have taken real pride in this stream. They dug out the bed and lined it with large flat stones, planted grass along the banks, constructed three bridges over this creek and built a railing using paper birch so that it tends to present a very pretty scene.
Words fail to describe our quadrangular court, which we have so appropriately named Esplanade. In the center of this esplanade is our flag pole and flag. On either side of the flag pole are various types of flower beds, consisting of half moons, stars and circles, planted with various flowers such as Cannas, Gladiolas, Rose Moss, Four O'Clocks, Dahlias, etc. A wonderful stand of grass which resembles a putting green on a golf course completes the esplanade.
This together with the well built walks, made of Fluor-Spar tailings surrounding the barracks, are some of the chief reasons Camp Marion is considered one of the most attractive camps in the Corps Area.
Source: Kentucky Historical Society. Civilian Conservation Corps camp newsletters, MSS 218, Camp Marion Pastime, Volume III, Number 14, July 1934, Page 4, Published at Camp E-59, Marion, KY by Veterans CCC Company 1542.
