My father, Charles Leroy HEISER (1913-2001) was in two CCC camps. One of them was Company 349 at Camp Lonesome Pine in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. At this camp, my father was a truck driver.
My dad, Charlie Heiser (in the truck) with one of his camp mates. My dad was about 25 years old in this photo.
Dad saved the 1938 Thanksgiving Menu and Roster. You can see it below along with a few photos of the mess hall.
I was shocked at the fancy meal they had. I imagine it was the first time many of them had eaten oysters. The roster also names the members of the camp.
Pay attention to the border around the edge of the cover. It’s hand drawn scenes by an man named Marshall Davis.
Copyright © 2017 Nancy H. Vest All Rights Reserved
349th Company Mess Hall
349’s Thanksgiving Dinner in the mess hall
Menu and Roster Thanksgiving 1938 cover
Inside left of Menu and Roster, my father is named as leader
Right side of the inside of the menu and roster
Believe it or not, Nancy… I was actually in Big Stone Gap for several days back in the late 1950’s doing an audit of a coal mine located there when I worked for Price Waterhouse and Co. It wasn’t much of a place back then.
And, it has also become the setting of a novel I have recently completed and hope to sell.
Marty
Small world! What is your novel about?
Hi Ms. Vest, I just sent you an email about your pictures and your dad’s experiences in BSG. I’m thrilled to have stumbled across your blog!
Thanks for connecting, Leslie! I’ll look for the email!
Hi Nancy,
I’m trying to find which CCC camp my dad Walter Collier was in? He was from Big Stone Gap VA.Do you know how I can find that information.?Thank you for sharing your story love reading about CCC I think it was a great work program!
Linda, I have a book of my father’s that has photos and information about all the CCC camps in District 4 from 1933-1937. The info about the camp at Big Stone Gap has a photo that has a Collier in it. They only listed last names, so I don’t know if it’s your dad or not. I would be happy to scan these pages for you and attach them to an email. If you will email me at nancyhvest@gmail.com and remind me that you’re looking for your dad’s CCC camp, I’ll get the scans done and send them to you.