So, we found a couple of projects that were probably created by Native American stonemasons. We give them an Ivory Soap chance of being Native American in origin – you know, 99 and 44/100%. We base this on the appearance of the completed projects and the fact that both projects were completed by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC had a satellite program called the Civilian Conservation Corps – Indian Division (CCC – ID).
Let’s talk about the Civilian Conservation Corps – Indian Division (CCC – ID). This program was part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s CCC, which began life in 1933. Both the CCC and CCC – ID were part of the president’s New Deal Program. These programs were created to offset the high unemployment rate our country faced at the time. The CCC employed single men between the ages of 18 and 25. These men worked in programs designed to improve America’s public lands, forests, parks and tribal lands.
Records indicate that 3 million men enlisted in the CCC. Out of those 3 million men, approximately 85,000 were Native American and many of those individuals served in the CCC – ID. The CCC – ID program was originally called the Indian Emergency Conservation Work Program (IECW) with an initial funding amount of $5,875.200. The program was renamed in 1937.
John Collier, Commissioner, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) requested the formation of the CCC – ID in 1933. Mr. Collier hoped that the CCC – ID would benefit Native Americans living on Indian reservations and tribal lands. Both Native Americans and the BIA lobbied for a program independent from the CCC as they objected to the U.S. Military providing oversight for the CCC on tribal lands.
The program’s focus was the employment of Native Americans on federally recognized reservations to the reservations. The program’s goal was to preserve tribal lands, while promoting sustainable ranching and farming. Projects included, but were not limited to, road construction, erosion control, reforestation, and water resource development. Generally, speaking, the members of the CCC – ID benefitted more than those men serving in the CCC as there was no age restriction for enlistment and families could join the men on the projects.
Enlistees in both the CCC and the CCC – ID were paid $30.00 a month. They sent $25.00 of that to their families back home. In the Great Depression, $30.00 a month was considered a decent wage. Consider that a 1933-dollar equals a $21.28 in today’s economy.
Members of the CCC – ID usually labored on tribal lands or on projects near the tribal or reservation lands. We found two New Deal projects with stonework, stonework that we believe the Native Americans serving in either the CCC or the CCC – ID completed. One project is in Storey County, Nevada and the other project is in Lamoille Canyon in Elko County.
These projects are the Geiger Grade Lookout and Park and the clubhouse for the Lamoille CCC Camp (See https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/geiger-grade-lookout-park-virginia-city-nv/ and https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/lamoille-canyon-ccc-camp-lamoille-nv/).
Construction on the Lamoille CCC Camp began in 1933 and concluded in 1937. In 1939, ownership of the camp was signed over to the Boy Scouts of America. It is thought that the baseball field on the grounds was the work of the CCC. Sadly, the clubhouse was destroyed by a wildfire in 2018. All that remains are the foundation and the chimney.
Look at the fireplace and the foundations. They are the work of at least three different stonemasons. The stonework on the left side of the foundation and at the bottom of the chimney resembles the stonework found at the SIS. The stones are faced and the stonework is precise and tight. The keystone in the fireplace resembles the fireplaces at SIS. The stonework of the other two masons resembles stonework we have seen executed by other Native American stonemasons. All of the stonework is a joy to behold and should be preserved for future generations.
Note: Lamoille is sometimes spelled Lemoille. The preferred spelling is with an “A”.
We have not had the opportunity to visit the clubhouse in person. We hope to do so this summer, along with a visit to Thunder Mountain, the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe of the Duckwater Reservation and Elko. If you get there before us, please share your photographs and thoughts.
The Geiger Grade lookout and Park was completed in 1938 with the assistance of the CCC. The lookout and park are on Route 341 which connects Washoe County and Storey County. We believe that Native American stonemasons were employed on the project due to the proximity of reservations in Carson City and Sparks, Nevada.
The stonemasons would have either been employed by the CCC – ID or by the Nevada Highway Department (Now, the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT). That agency employed day laborers on the project.
While some of the stonework in the park is not the polished, finished product of a seasoned stonemason, other stonework found in the park resembles the stonework we have seen in documented examples of Native American stonework. As stated previously, we haven’t been able to verify the stonemasons who worked on these two projects.
However, based on the stonework and the proximity to Native American tribes and reservation land to each project, we believe there is an excellent possibility that Native American stonemasons completed some, if not all, of the stonework at both Lamoille and Geiger Grade. Take a look at the curvature of the stone trash barrel – that is the work of a master stonemason, such as one who trained at the Stewart Indian School.
The views from the park and lookout are beyond compare. We urge you to visit this site and enjoy the quiet beauty spread before you. We spent a spring morning there, exploring, enjoying, oohing and aahing at how nature and man came together so perfectly. If you have an opportunity, we urge you to take the jaunt to Virginia City and explore the park and lookout. It’s well worth your time.
For proof positive of the CCC – ID’s participation in these projects, we need to review the employment records of the CCC – ID. The BIA is the custodian of the CCC – ID records, which are located at the National Archives Records Administration’s Seattle and Denver regional facilities. The CCC – ID records aren’t indexed and few are microfilmed. Verifying CCC – ID enlistee information would be an excellent research project for a grad student.
So, until we can verify employment, we are going on the belief that Native American stonemasons (serving in either the CCC or the CCC – ID) assisted with the stonework at Geiger Lookout and Park and the Lamoille CCC Camp Clubhouse.