Civilian Conservation Corps
The men of the CCC used native stone and timber to build the Yellow Rock Overlook at Devil's Den State Park.
Within five Arkansas state parks are cabins, pavilions, bridges, trails, a lodge, and other works that endure as a legacy to the craftsmanship of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the "Tree Army" of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. These National Register of Historic Places components and National Historic Districts were the first facilities built in Arkansas's state parks, and they served as the cornerstone of all further development. When you encounter CCC/Rustic Style structures-architecture that mirrors the rugged natural beauty of its surroundings-you too will understand why they are among America's most beloved park facilities.
Crowley's Ridge State Park
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One of Arkansas's first state parks, Crowley's Ridge is home to log and stone structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, setting the mood for this park's rustic warmth. You'll see several cabins of a group area, a large and impressive two-story pavilion, and an amphitheater designed to seat 1,000. The trail around CCC-built Lake Ponder features exhibits about the CCC work.
Devil's Den State Park
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This National Historic District holds what has been called the most complete example of CCC park architecture. Selected as a park site in the 1930s, Lee Creek Valley provided the native wood and stone that the Civilian Conservation Corps used to craft the park's CCC/Rustic Style buildings including a native stone dam, a unique pavilion/restaurant, cabins in several styles and sizes, roads, trails, stone walls, bridges, and the iconic Yellow Rock Overlook.
Lake Catherine State Park
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Five of the 18 cabins in this park, plus the nature center, are beautiful examples of log and stone CCC construction from the 1930s. Lake Catherine was one of Arkansas's first state parks, established in 1935.
Mount Nebo State Park
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Rising 1,350 feet, Mount Nebo offers sweeping views of the Arkansas River Valley. Logs and native stone from Mount Nebo were used by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s to construct many of the park's bridges, trails, rustic-style cabins, and a grand pavilion overlooking the valley below.
Petit Jean State Park
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Petit Jean has three National Historic Districts containing more than 80 buildings, trails, and bridges, including beautiful Mather Lodge on the bluff overlooking scenic Cedar Creek Canyon. The bluffs, waterfalls, and vistas of Petit Jean Mountain inspired the creation of Arkansas's state park system. The CCC work here is an outstanding example of CCC architecture and mirrors the mountain's rugged beauty as the rustic, native log and stone structures seem to rise from the earth.
