built. At the Brown County State Park, work was begun to correct severe soil erosion on June 1, 1934 with the CCC planting black locust, black walnut, pines, and spruces. They built many of the existing buildings, shelter houses, picnic tables, ovens, roads, trails, two log lookout towers, as well as Ogle Lake in 1934 – 35.
The story within the story starts with Thurman Harden, one of Brown County’ s native sons who worked in the CCC stone mason crew from 1933 – 35. The stone was mined right there in the park itself. Pieces were cut by hand and then dry-stacked. Harden helped build the sandstone steps from the lower shelter house up to the Abe Martin Lodge, plus many other structures throughout the park. He and his wife, Avis, raised their family of two daughters and three sons in Brown County.
Now after 80 years, the elements have caused deterioration in the stonework, making today’ s restoration work necessary. Property manager of the BC State Park, Doug Baird, says that the retaining wall and sidewalk at the parking lot of the upper shelter is about 500 feet long; and the stairway on Hiking Trail # 2 between the Abe Martin Lodge and the lower shelter is several hundred feet long. Both are being worked on. He explains that a lot of the stone will be reused, but 40 % needs to be replaced. The stone masons are going to great lengths to shape and chisel the stone to match the chisel marks of the originals to duplicate the CCC’ s stonework. Heavy equipment is used to lift the pieces in place. Drainage is being installed at this time to limit the effects of future freezing and thawing. The parking lot is also being repaved.
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July / August 2021 • Our Brown County 17