Bud Werner Memorial Library and Tread of Pioneers Museum will present a free evening of historic stories and music about the Civilian Conservation Corps — including the CCC boys of Steamboat Springs — at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14 in Library Hall.

Michigan-based author Bill Jamerson will present a multi-media storytelling program about the Civilian Conservation Corps, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s federal works program created during the heart of the Great Depression.

During its nine-year run, beginning in 1933, more than 57,000 men, known as the “dollar-a-day boys,” served in Colorado, where they constructed hundreds of miles of roads, built bridges, worked on soil erosion control, were active in reforestation and worked on grazing control operations that restored grass and water to vast stretches of land for cattle and sheep grazing.

They also constructed Rocky Mountain National Park, the Colorado National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park and Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre.

The men were 17 to 25 years old and came from families on relief. The camps were run by the army with an average of 34 camps in operation in Colorado each year. More than $63 million was spent operating camps in the state.

Enrollees were paid $1 per day, with $25 sent home to their families each month.

A CCC camp opened outside Steamboat Springs on May 30, 1933. Enrollees spent approximately $5,000 per month in nearby communities, helping the local economy during the depths of The Great Depression.

Dressed in uniform, Jamerson will share stories about the CCC, read excerpts from his book, show a video clip from his PBS film and sing original songs with his guitar, sharing the experiences of people, both ordinary and extraordinary, with stories of strength, wit and charm.

Visit steamboatlibrary.org/events for more information.