If you have been to Letchworth State Park lately, you may have noticed some new road signs or little round medallions on some shelters and cabins. These are all part of the Friends of Letchworth initiative to develop a CCC Legacy Pathway through the Park. Formal dedication of this Pathway will be part of the Friends of Letchworth annual CCC Legacy Day scheduled this year for Saturday, August 7, 2021. A brief formal ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. near the CCC statue beside the Lower Falls parking lot. Following the formal events there will be the opportunity to independently view a CCC exhibit at the Letchworth Museum and visit many CCC sites throughout the park. (Maps and directions will be available at the event)
The signage for the CCC Legacy Pathway was funded through a Parks and Trails New York Partnership Grant and developed and built with the assistance of the staff and management of Letchworth State Park. The pathway signage is designed to allow visitors to independently locate CCC artifacts, learn their history, and understand more fully their significance. It is the latest step in the Friends of Letchworth effort to restore, preserve, and celebrate the achievements of the Civilian Conservation Corps.
This effort began with the erection of the CCC worker statue in 2003 and has been followed by the restoration of a CCC-built lean to close to the Hogsback, stone chimneys at Gibsonville and Big Bend camps, and restoration of stone picnic tables at the Parade Grounds. Currently, the Friends of Letchworth are seeking contractors to restore the stone tables at Wolf Creek and Tea Table to be funded in part by a $50,000 grant from the Ralph Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund administered by the Greater Buffalo Community Foundation.
Achievements to date have been funded by multiple grants from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund and Parks and Trails New York. Single grants for specific projects have been received from the Rochester Area Community Foundation, the Landmark Society of Western New York, the National Environmental Education Foundation, and the aforementioned Ralph Wilson Jr. Legacy Fund. We are grateful for this substantial grant support as well as generous public donations and hundreds of hours of volunteer service.
We continue to seek funding for further development of the CCC Legacy Pathway and preservation of CCC artifacts. Our future hopes include restoration of all the remaining stone tables in the park, more interpretive signage, self-guided tour brochures, and CCC educational programming as funding and volunteers are available.