Ed will present a program entitled “Reclaiming Hamlin’s CCC (Civil Conservation Corps) Camp and World War II POW (Prisoner of War) Camp.”
The program will include a description of the CCC, clearing the site for the camp, living in the camp as a CCC enlistee, how to get to the site and what it looked like in the 1930’s. The camp was adapted to be a POW camp during World War II. What was required for that conversion? Ed will also describe how the camp was viewed by the prisoners housed there and how the camp was perceived by the surrounding community.
Ed Evans is a retired High School teacher. He worked in the Hilton Central School District for 33 years where he taught chemistry, physics, earth science and remedial science. He served on the Hamlin Town Board for 12 years and 10 years on Hamlin’s Conservation Board. His interest in the CCC / POW camp of the 1930s and early 1940s grew out of working closely with the Town Historian, Mary Smith during the years he served on the Town Board. In 2008, Ed was asked by Hamlin Beach State Park manager, Mary Howden, to help the park turn the camp into a history trail and the work to clear the site of dense overgrowth began. Ed has given close to 200 tours and lectures about the restoration of this site.
The meeting will be held at 7:30 PM on Thursday, January 5th at the Mendon Community Center, 167 North Main Street, Honeoye Falls. This facility is handicapped accessible. The meeting is open to the public. For information call 624-5655.
