Many recognize Giant City State Park as one of the premier recreation spots in southern Illinois, with its unspoiled forests, glorious rock formations, and famous sandstone lodge. But few know the park s history or are aware of the remarkable men who struggled to build it. "Giant City State Park and the Civilian Conservation Corps: A History in Words and Pictures" provides the first in-depth portrait of the park s creation, drawing on rarely seen photos, local and national archival research, and interviews to present an intriguing chapter in Illinois history.Kay Rippelmeyer traces the...

Drawing on more than thirty years of meticulous research, Kay Rippelmeyer details the Depression-era history of the simultaneous creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. Through the stories of the men who worked in CCC camps devoted to soil and forest conservation projects, she offers a fascinating look into an era of utmost significance to the identity, citizens, wildlife, and natural landscape of the region.

Rippelmeyer outlines the geologic and geographic history of southern Illinois, from Native American uses of the land to...