Much of the land that comprises the Ouachita National Forest was homesteaded in the early 1900s and this hilly land proved unsuitable for farming so many failed in their attempts. Charlton Recreation Area, maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers features a large spring fed swimming area dammed by very artistic hand built 20 foot high "fitted stone" and the changing rooms and dam that created the swimming hole at Charlton Recreational Area was built by Civilian Conservation Corps workers between 1935 and 1938 from local stones. They also used natural material found on site for the picnic tables and signs. There is also a water fountain and water race.
John L. Moore, a US Federal Marshal, and his wife Lucinda arrived in the area by wagon train in 1850. Michael Thomas Peter Moore and his wife Mary Catherine received their patent for 160 acres in 1898 part of what is now Camp Charlton, Garland County, AR. Roland and his wife Anna Frances Moore, son of Michael and Mary Catherine homesteaded an additional 160 acres of land receiving their patent in 1905. The land was purchased by the Government in 1935 from the Moore family. The bathhouse at Charlton has photographs of the homestead and family and a write up on the Moore family. John L. Moore was postmaster of Old Ussery in 1890.
The Sentinel-Record, Hot Springs, Garland [picture]
Polly Lancaster, 101, of Hot Springs, died Dec. 31, 1999, at a local nursing home. Born June 10, 1898, on property now known as Camp Charleston [sic], to Tom Pete and Mary Catherine Moore, she was a member of First Primitive Baptist Church and lived most of her life on Albert Pike, where Wal-Mart now stands. She was predeceased by her husband, John Henry Lancaster. Survivors include three nieces, Lessie Osborn of Arvada, Colo., Bessie Wotli of St. Louis and Celia Sparlin of Wyandotte, Okla.; a nephew, Raymond Moore of Wichita, Kan.; a sister-in-law, Ova Moore of Hot Springs; a great-niece, Holly Black of Hot Springs; and great-nieces and great-nephews. Services will be 2 p.m. Mon. at Gross Funeral Home chapel with the Bro. Ersel Tillery officiating. Pallbearers will be Robby Hancock, Tom O’Neal and Ben O’Neal. Honorary pallbearers are Mereck Rowe and medical staff and employees of Quality Care Nursing Home. Burial will be in Peak Cemetery, Royal.
Photograph captions read:
CCC enrollees carrying logs used to build bridges.
Sign located at the spring on the south side of highway 270.
Furnishings such as picnic tables, signs and fences were created out of the
natural materials found on site.
Enrollees using a peeling knife to remove the bark from a log used for the
entrance to Camp Charlton.
Charlton dam during construction.
Charlton dam shortly after completion and before it was filled.
[Looks like the negative has been flipped.]
Map at the park.
Charlton but the window on the left is now small.
Crystal Recreational Area to Charlton
The Charlton Trail is a easy 4 mile walk, one way, with a spring and road half way. Have someone drop you off at Crystal Camp Ground on Lake Ouachita and meet you at Charlton for a picnic lunch and a cool swim. Going this way you avoid the steep climb out of the Charlton ONF Recreational area.
A water fountain with the bathhouse in the background.
This water is clear and cold even in the summer.
A mimosa tree, a trash tree.
Looks like a man made water race.
A birdhouse with an awfully large hole. There was another bird house towards the
bathhouse parking lot, same size, small hole but no roof on it.
A another picnic shelter. This one built by Job Corps.
Constructed by Ouachita Conservation Center 1983-1986. U.S.
Department of Agriculture Forest Service in cooperation with Department of
Labor.
The changing rooms at Charlton - the work of the CCC.
CCC - March 31, 1933 to June 30, 1942
During the depression of the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) battled woods fires, reforested the area with pine seedlings, erected buildings, and constructed all-weather roads in the National Forest and five state parks. Most CCC projects were built in national forests or on state-owned property. The basic pay was $30 per month but $25 was mailed home to each enrollee’s relatives. Classroom education was compulsory for those who could not read or write.
- National Register of Historic Places
- CCC worker wb
Womble District Administration House No. 1, N. of Hwy. 270 e. of Mt. Ida c. 1940 frame structure built by Civilian Conservation Corps.
Collier Springs Shelter, Forest Service Rd 177, NE of Norman. c. 1939 built by CCC.
Norman Town Square and Library. 1935-40.
Crystal dam and log & fieldstone picnic shelter, Forest Service Rd 177, E. of Hwy. 27, c. 1935
Fairgrounds Mt, Ida
Campgrounds, picnic areas, and dam and swimming lake was constructed at Shady Lake, Bard Springs, Iron Springs, and Albert Pike recreation areas.
Arkansas Fire Lookouts
Slatington 1933, CCC not standing, metal frame use discontinued in early 1960s
Tall Peak Fire Tower 1930s, CCC, standing, stone base, wooden, inactive, restored, access from Shady Lake via the 6 hour, 5 mile, strenuous, Tall Peak Trail.
Buck Knob - not standingCCC Camps PROJECT CO. # DATE RAILROAD POST OFFICE LOCATION F-2 750 6/ 3/1933 Norman Mena/ Big Fork Slatington 11 mi W F-3 749 6/1/ 1933 Hot Springs Aly/Storey 65 mi NW F-4 742 5/19/1933 Mena Mena Shady 18 mi SE F-5 741 5/17/1933 Hot Springs Crystal Springs 19 mi W F-28 741 6/15/1939 Norman Mt. Ida F-13 768 10/28/1935 Mena Oden Buck Knob 38 mi NE F-13 1731 6/23/1933 Waldron OdenProject: The number given by the state to the project and camp
Co. # The number given by the federal government to each company.
F or NF National Forest
Date: The date that company occupied that particular camp.
Railroad: The closest town to the camp that had a railroad stop.
Post Office: The closest town to the camp that had a post office.
There was a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camp near Big Brushy Recreational area, across the road and 300 feet west, marked by a Geo cache. Follow the road through Mt Ida, Pencil Bluff and on to Y City, you will pass Brushy.
Buck Knob Camp, Oden, AR - a sawmill - stacking lumber.
Work at the top of a tower at a Ranger station to keep in touch with other tower people in checking on fires and if we located a fire we were to notify the camp that was close by. Passes were issued on Saturday afternoon. Not everyone got passes so many had to stay in camp in case of fire. If we did not get a pass this week-end then it is possible you might get one the next weekend if everything worked out OK.
Kelly Samuel Ashford, 87, of Waldron, Arkansas was born on June 26, 1921 in Waldron, Arkansas and passed away on April 15, 2009 in a Waldron hospital. He was a retired businessman, having owned and operated Piggly Wiggly Super Market in Waldron for 35 years. He served as a member of the Buck Knob CCC Camp and in the U.S. Navy six years.Handbook for CCC Enrollees Company 742 CCC Mena Arkansas
CCC, 1937 - 24 pagesArkansas Game and Fish Commission crews stocked over 2.3 million fish in Arkansas lakes and rivers during June, 2009 including
Camp Clearfork Lake, Garland County, 300 catchable channel catfish
Charlton Pond, Garland County, 250 catchable channel catfish
Caddo River, Montgomery County, 4,850 fingerling smallmouth bass
North Fork Lake, Montgomery County, 188 catchable channel catfish
North Fork Lake, Montgomery County, 10,500 fingerling largemouth bass
Lake Ouachita, Garland and Montgomery Counties, 8,678 catchable channel catfish
Lake Ouachita, Montgomery County, 85,747 fingerling striped bassPhotos below taken in August 2019. Same day as the photos taken at Camp Clearfork.
Walnut Creek and beautiful green moss in Aug. 2019.
Old silver mine at Charlton, walk on left bank of Walnut creek, just before the highway. Photo taken Aug. 2019. It goes back about 150ft.Charlton - clear and cool
Historic - CCC legacy
Access off Hwy 270
Recreational picnic ground
Loops ABC- campgrounds
Trail to Crystal Springs Campground
Ouachita National Forest abound - trees tower
Nature - find sunshine, peace, patience and a little flower.
