Research Guidelines

Researching Civilian Conservation Corps Records 

Requesting  Civilian Conservation Corps Records:

The National Archives and Records Center in St. Louis as developed a designated page for information relating to the request for copies of CCC records.  Please reference this site as part of your decision to request  enrollee information.  

 http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/archival-programs/civilian-personnel-archival/ccc-holdings-access.html

As background information, to learn more about CCC and WPA  records held at the National Archives, St. Louis,  please review the article written in the Prologue Magazine,  Summer 2012, Vol. 44, No. 2.  Question 22 - 1940 Census Provides a Glimpse of the Demographics of the New Deal. Author:  Ashley Mattingly, Archivist, of the NARA.  Go to:    http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2012/summer/question22.html

 In June of 2009, CCC records held in the name of the CCC by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), were transferred to the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration.  

With this change, there is now a fee associated with this service.  These fees are authorized under the 44 U.S.C. 2116 (c) which authorizes NARA to charge a fee to the public for making or authenticating copies or reproduction of material transferred to the NARA’s custody.   
 
 Fee schedule:  Five and fewer pages is $25.00;  Over five pages is $70.00.  It should be noted that most CCC records are more than five pages so the requester can generally expect a fee of $70.00.   Do not send a fee with your request!  You will be notified, if information was located and the amount of the fee.   

Death certificates are no longer needed to request information on deceased CCC employees; however, if you send the certificate you are more likely to get more information.  

CCC Records contain personal information confidential to enrollees.  The CCC records are on microfilm and contain many records on each film.  Even though the records are now public, each record must undergo screening for sensitive information in accordance with the personal privacy exemption of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), U.S.C.552 (b) (6), before it can be released.  Screening every record on a film is not feasible, so the decision was made that visitors to the public research room would not be able to review the films in person.

Facts you should explore before you request.    

• Enrollee name:  Last, First, Middle  or, nickname
• Birth date
• Social Security Number
• Title of position or job while in camp 
• Hometown at time of employment
• Father's name
• Mother's Name
• Location of the camp and years of service
• Branch of Service:  Civilian Conservation Corps 
• Separation date
  

 The National Archives has created a form for your use in requesting information.  Click on the link below:  
http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/archival-programs/civilian-personnel-archival/NA_form_14136.pdf

Make a copy of your request for your file.  Sign and date your request and mail to:   

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
ATTN:  Archival Programs
P.O. Box 38757
St. Louis, MO 63138

Phone: (314) 801-9250
Fax:(314) 801-9187

Fax requests will be accepted at 314-801-9187 but a signature must be included.  Notification of fees and payment methods will be sent to the requester as part of the case processing.  


To Acquire CCC Records from The National Archives in College Park, MD,  By Mail 

 Point of contact:  Gene Morris, Civilian Records, Textual Archives Services in College Park, Maryland, at 301-837-1993.

Other information, including camp and company reports, reside in the National Archives in College Park, MD.  To date these items are not indexed.    

If possible, you will need to know the camp designation number, such as Camp SP-7 near Munford, Alabama. Mr. Morris can quickly tell you how much information is available, and approximately how much it will cost to have it sent. If you only know the company number, for example Company 468, it can usually be cross  referenced from the lists of camps and companies on the States and Camps list.  When the camp designation number is not on this page, it is helpful to know where the company was stationed before or after the camp location you are looking for.

The National Archives stores information from most of the state parks camps, including Camp Inspection Reports, Project Reports with pictures and some correspondence. There are not many records from 1933 and early 1934 when the CCC was in its early stages of development. In some cases, reports were lost or never reached the Washington Office to be filed and later archived. If the National Archives does not have information on the camp that you are researching, try contacting the National Forest nearest to the camp location. Some Forests still have the original reports from their CCC projects.

Estimating your cost and payment 

 A "Quotation for Reproduction Services" will be sent to you, listing the information available and price. The order by mail  must be prepaid. They accept a credit card, check or money order. After your payment has been received, it usually takes ten to twelve weeks for delivery. For additional cost, several different vendors at the National Archives can make reproductions of still photographs, aerial film, maps and drawings. A list of these vendors will be sent with information on how to contact them.

American Indians 

Information concerning American Indians can be explored through the National Archives.  

Bureau of Land Management

Records of work projects conducted by the Department of Grazing and other departments of the Bureau of Land Management, are filed at the Rocky Mountain Regional Archives in Denver, Colorado. The phone number is 303-236-8017. Some Camp Reports for the Bureau of Land Management are at the National Archives.


Submitted by Jennifer Horn