The Civilian Conservation Corps in Oregon- A Living Legacy- by Glenn Voelz (21 May 2026)

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:30:00 GMT

Glenn Voelz served as an intelligence officer for twenty-five years in the Army and spent over a decade living and working in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He held senior leadership positions at the Pentagon on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the White House Situation Room, and at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Glenn now lives in Central Oregon with his family.

During his career, Glenn served as an assistant professor of history at West Point. He has published over a dozen books and journal articles on a wide range of topics. His recent work focuses on Oregon history. Glenn is a professional ski patroller at the Mount Bachelor Nordic Center and a Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue volunteer. He serves on the board for the Deschutes County Historical Society and the Deschutes Historical Museum.

Amid the depths of the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt formulated a bold plan to put millions of unemployed Americans to work and restore the nation’s public lands. Between 1933 and 1942, over 86,000 Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) enrollees worked on Oregon’s national forests, state parks, and tribal lands. Their labor transformed the landscape and created some of the state’s most beloved recreational areas.

The scale and scope of their accomplishments are staggering. In Oregon alone, the CCC built 50,000 miles of forest roads, 20,000 miles of trails, 3,000 acres of public campgrounds, 1,500 bridges, and hundreds of fire lookouts. CCC crews risked their lives fighting epic wildfires and restoring Oregon’s damaged forests.

Today, it’s almost impossible to travel around the state without encountering reminders of its legacy, from irrigation canals to ski lodges. This is the story of how they did it.

Come Along on the Oregon Trail (29 May 2026)

Fri, 29 May 2026 21:30:00 GMT

Who: ASCO’s Barlow Road field trip participants, other ASCO members, public

When: Friday, May 29th 2:30 p.m.-4:00ish

Where: Deschutes Historical Museum Library (129 NW Idaho Avenue, Bend)

Details: No reservations required, no cost to attend, seating is limited

Background:

Between 1841-1869 at least 350,000 people emigrated along the Oregon Trail, one of

history’s largest and longest peacetime migrations. This approximately 2,000-mile

journey was difficult and dangerous across unfamiliar prairies, deserts, rivers, and

mountains, with just a few forts to help along the way.

Presentation:

Join Lynda Paznokas (ASCO member) as she shares what it would have been like to

travel cross-country into territories unknown, the rationale behind those making the

journey West, and the reality of what they found there. Through photographs, journals,

and her own research Lynda will help clear up misconceptions about this fascinating

and complicated time in United States history. There will be a display of Oregon Trail

books to enjoy and a handout provided.

Presenter:

Lynda Paznokas’ interest in the Oregon Trail began when researching

her own family’s trailblazing history West. As a fourth grader she was

captured by the Oregon Trail stories her teacher brought to life and

later as a fourth grade teacher herself, having the opportunity to share

these stories with her own students. Over a decade she has

photographed the Oregon Trail from Missouri to Oregon, gaining a new

appreciation for the journey and historical complexities comprising this

moment in U.S. history. Lynda was a teacher and Elementary

Curriculum Specialist for the Bend-La Pine School District and has

taught future teachers at the university level. Her book, Pathways of

America: The Oregon Trail, assists educators, encouraging students to

develop a variety of critical thinking skills around this subject.

Archaeological Society of Central Oregon upcoming events

The Civilian Conservation Corps in Oregon- A Living Legacy- by Glenn Voelz (21 May 2026)

Come Along on the Oregon Trail (29 May 2026)