U.S. #2037
1983 20¢ Civilian Conservation Corps
- Issued on 50th anniversary of the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps
- Commemorates FDR’s New Deal initiative to create jobs and protect natural resources
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Value: 20¢, first-class rate
First Day of Issue: April 5, 1983
First Day City: Luray, Virginia
Quantity Issued: 114,290,000
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Photogravure
Format: Panes of 50 in sheets of 200
Perforations: 11
Why the stamp was issued: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).
About the stamp design: Designed by David K. Stone, the stamp pictures a typical scene from a CCC camp. It shows three CCC camp workers in blue denim work uniforms finishing work on a trail. One of the workers is adding a rock to the stone wall while another levels the trail. The third worker, carrying the pick over his shoulder, raised some controversy among collectors. Some said that the CCC regulations forbid carrying the pick over the shoulder in this way for safety reasons, while others defended the image saying it was the only way to carry it.
About the printing process: Printed on the gravure seven-color Andreotti press, this was the first stamp sheet with the new Hurletron triangular electric-eye markings in the selvage. This registration system of right-angle triangles replaced an old system of non-parallel two-line markings.
First Day City: Despite cancels saying “Luray, Virginia,” in Shenandoah National Park, the First Day ceremony for this stamp was actually held 20 miles south at the Byrd Information Center in Big Meadows. This was the location of the second CCC camp, Camp Fechner, named for Robert Fechner, the CCC’s first national director.
Unusual fact about this stamp: A small number of imperforate vertical and horizontal error stamps have been found.
History the stamp represents: One of the most far-reaching projects of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). It gave three million men jobs that improved infrastructure and natural resources.
The CCC was open to unemployed, unmarried men between the ages of 18 and 23 (later 17 and 28). They received shelter, clothing, food, and about $30 a month in payment. They also benefited from improved physical condition from the hard labor as well as increased morale.
During their nine years of service, the CCC planted nearly three billion trees, improved 125,000 miles of roads, and built 13,000 miles of trails. They also constructed facilities in national, state, and city parks and improved forest firefighting methods. Soon, every state had multiple state and city parks that were expanded by the CCC.
To promote all the improvements made by the CCC, the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Agency created posters of these fun outdoor activities – and the public loved them. Participation in open-air activities soared, with more and more Americans than ever visiting parks, hiking trails, and enjoying the great outdoors. Not only had our young men found employment, but they improved our communities as well.
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