Montgomery County Facts - Civilian Conservation Corps
September 11, 2025
From 1933 to 1938, the Civilian Conservation Corps(CCC) erected structures, developed rural lands, and carved out many roads and trails. The CCC was a voluntary government work relief program instituted during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt. The program was designed to supply jobs to young men during the Great Depression.
The CCC is recognized as the single greatest conservation program in American history and is credited with changing how we enjoy our natural resources today. There are trails, park, and dam structures in Montgomery County that are a result of the effort of CCC Company 741.
Powder Magazine Historic District is a popular destination for visitors to the Ouachita National Forest. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is maintained by the U.S. Forest Service.
The Power Magazine is a small, stone building used to store ammunition and explosives during the construction of nearby roads and trails. The building is constructed of native stone and has a rectangular form with a gable roof. The structure is one of the best examples of the rustic architecture popular during the Depression era.
The historic district also includes two stone picnic shelters, a stone water tower, and a stone latrine. The structures were built using the same style as the Powder Magazine.
Crystal Recreation Area is also located in the Ouachita National Forest on Forest Road 177 north of Norman. This area includes two structures constructed in 1935 that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The dam is placed across Montgomery Creek and is constructed from fieldstone. The two-tier structure is about thirty feet long and one and a half feet wide. Behind the dam is a catchment pond that serves as a swimming area.
Downstream from the dam was the camp shelter. Constructed at the same time as the dam, the rectangular shelter was built from logs on a concrete foundation, with a hipped roof supported by four log columns—low wooden benches connected each column on the north and south sides. The shelter was destroyed in 2016 when a tree fell on it.