Recreational structures. Big Ridge Lake. Diving tower, beach and bath house may be seen in the background. This forty-five acre body of water has proved an attractive recreation spot for thousands of visitors since it was first opened to the public in May 1934. Encircled by the 3,500 acres of wooded hills in Big Ridge Park, the resort is provided with a boathouse, bath house, a public lodge, nineteen modern vacation cabins and a beach with a specially constructed pool for children. Located on the eastern boundary of Norris reservoir about twenty-five miles northeast of Knoxville, Tennessee, the lake was formed by constuction of a small dam across one of the arms of the reservoir. This recreation area and the 3,800 acre Noris Park near Norris Dam were developed by the National Park Service and the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) in cooperation with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). This is one of many comparable parks on TVA reservoirs, most of which are in use and greatly enjoyed by tourists as well as residents of the surrounding area who previously had few, if any, outdoor opportunites for ourtdoor sport and recreation. The completion of other recreational parks has been prevented by the war

Franklin Roosevelt faced a problem when the Great Depression put millions of able-bodied men out of work. His response included national service programs like the CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps. He believed that this civilian “tree army” would relieve the rural unemployed and keep youth “off the city street corners.” Formed in March 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps, CCC, was one of the first New Deal programs. CCC camps were established in communities across America. The Corps helped to build and improve roads, construct three lakes, create infrastructure at newly charted state parks, Each camp afforded purposeful work for hundreds of men and had a lasting impact in the area it was built. Camp commanders had army-like powers and workers were required to address superiors as “sir.” By September 1935 over 500,000 young men had lived in CCC camps. The men planted millions of trees on land made barren from fires, dug canals and ditches, built wildlife shelters, stocked rivers and lakes with nearly a billion fish, restored historic battlefields, and cleared beaches and campgrounds. In all, nearly 3 million young men participated in the CCC provided unexpected preparation for the massive call-up in World War II.