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VICTOR CCC CAMP
 

Map Prepared by TAKAHIK River Valley Hikers
Victor CCC Camp
 
Map of west side of FR 1000 and my findings
 

Parking Area

35.65028°, 93.00620°
Old entrance to FR 93192B

One of the first structures at the Victor CCC Camp.
Photo No. 335345 by J.W. Wait, 1933.
(Victor was a side camp for Pelsor or Sand Gap)

#1 Rock Foundation
35.64944°, 93.00698°
From "An Illustrated History of the Ozark-St.Francis National Forest" For The Trees:
Some of the needed manpower to get the timber from the forests came from German prisoners of war. Prisoners of war went to Fort Chaffee, just east of Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Side camps, established in other locations, put the POW's to work.  The Chickasaw Wood Products Company was one lumber outfit who used German prisoners at a camp
set up in the Ozark National Forest.  The camp was located on the West Fork of the Illinois Bayou, 38 miles north of Russellville. (This side camp was Victor CCC Camp)
The camps allowed no vistors and all POW's wore the initials "PW" on all outer clothing.  Area residents were notified when the Pelsor camp opened.
Additional Notes: There exists a 1936 aerial photo that shows a baseball diamond on the camp site, have not been able to find the photo. That would definitely have to
be on the east side of the road.  Also, find an article stating that a Mr. John G. Chism, who was one of the last remaining Civil War Veterans, that died in June, 1951, at age 103,
lived in an old abandoned German Prisoner of War camp called Camp Victor.

#2 Rock Pile
35.64907°, 93.00685°

#3 Rock Pile
35.64889°, 93.00682°

#4 Rock Pile
35.64889°, 93.00705°

#5 Rock Foundation
35.64917°, 93.00723°

#6 Rock Lined Hole
35.64975°, 93.00684°

#7 Long Pad (Rock Lined)
35.64958°, 93.00657°

#8 Gal. Tin Can
35.64929°, 93.00665°

#9 Trash Pile
35.64984°, 93.00587°

#9 Trash Pile
(5 oz. Evaporated Milk Cans)
There were a lot of these .....

#9 Trash Pile
Just some of the many glass bottles....

Owens-Illinois Glass Company - 1937
10" Amber Purex Bleach Bottle
(There were a lot of these bottles also....)

Owens-Illinois Glass Company
Ketchup Bottle - Cork Lid

Victor CCC Camp Location
Aerial Photo GD 10-99, Dec. 31, 1936


1936 Pope County Map
The map shows the camp to be on the east
side of the road.  I am assuming the living
quarters were on the uphill side (west) and
maybe the work was performed on the east?

1934 USGS Topo Map
     
 
Map of east side of FR 1000 and my findings
 

#1 Octagonal Conc. Block (4')
35.64893°, 93.00594°

#2 Conc. Walls & Piers
35.64854°, 93.00620°

#3 Building Foundation
35.64950°, 93.00582°
     

The following pictures are from:
Arkansas Civilian Conservation Corps
Pictorial Review 1933-1934 Parke-Harper Company, Little Rock, AR

 
Company 1706 CCC, Camp Victor
The Men at Victor Camp

 

 

Click on the above picture to read a story of the Victor Camp.