The CCC at Ft. Abraham Lincoln

April 5, 2022 — In response to nearly 14 million unemployed Americans, President Franklin Roosevelt instituted the Civilian Conservation Corps on this day, April 5, 1933.

One of the CCC projects created in North Dakota was the restoration of Fort Abraham Lincoln. In July of 1934, a CCC camp made up of veterans from WWI was established near Mandan. The workers erected two blockhouses at Fort McKeen; put in the cornerstone markings at Fort Abraham Lincoln and constructed the museum and visitor center. CCC workers also reconstructed five earth lodges at On-A-Slant Mandan Indian village under the instruction of Scattered Corn, the first female Corn Priest of the Mandan. At the age of 82, Scattered Corn also assisted in the reconstruction of the palisade wall and Ark of the Lone Man.

In honor of their work, a CCC “Worker” statue was dedicated at Fort Abraham Lincoln in June of 2007.

“Dakota Datebook” is a radio series from Prairie Public in partnership with the State Historical Society of North Dakota and with funding from the North Dakota Humanities Council. See all the Dakota Datebooks at prairiepublic.org, subscribe to the “Dakota Datebook” podcast, or buy the Dakota Datebook book at shopprairiepublic.org.