Evening Lecture: The Civilian Conservation Corps and the Making of America’s Parks

The Bartow History Museum welcomes authors Ren and Helen Davis for a special program exploring the history and lasting impact of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), one of the most influential New Deal programs in American history.

Their book, Our Mark on This Land: A Guide to the Legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps in America’s Parks, published in 2011, represents over a decade of in-depth research, including work in state and national archives, park collections, and on-site visits across the country. The project began as a 1998 article for Georgia Journal Magazine examining the CCC’s work in Georgia.

During the program, attendees will learn how the CCC shaped America’s parks and public lands, and why its legacy still matters today. Limited copies of the book will be available for purchase.

About the Speakers

Ren and Helen Davis are the authors of numerous acclaimed titles, including Atlanta Walks, Georgia Walks, Best Hikes Atlanta, and Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery: An Illustrated History and Guide, which won both the Lila Hawes Award and the Georgia Writers Association Award. Their book Landscapes for the People: George Alexander Grant, First Chief Photographer of the National Park Service received the INDIEFAB Gold Medal. They will release a new book in Fall 2025 titled Land of Everlasting Hills: George Masa, Jim Thompson and the Photographs That Helped Save the Great Smoky Mountains and Blaze the Appalachian Trail.