Camp Copperhead,  Company 3539, NF-17

Camp Copperhead, Forest Service CCC Camp NF-17, was established in July of 1935 and located in Pocahontas County near the mountain hamlet, Frost, WV.  All CCC camps had certain unique characteristics, and this one was no exception. One cold wintry night the large wooden water tank that supplied the camp caught on fire.  On Sundays, large crowds of CCC "Boys" and local townspeople would gather in Camp Copperhead to watch captured copperheads and black snakes in snake fight competitions.  Well... until the higher CCC brass got wind of this past time. (Photos courtesy of Robert H. Lee, enrollee, 1935-937)

 

In our CCC museum we have on display a sample of home-made soap made by the church women of Frost.  Historically, it would not be significant, except it is very similar to the soap made by women of Frost in the 1930's and sold to the CCC back in the days of Camp Copperhead.


Photo to right: Bob Lee at entrance to Camp Copperhead.
Photos courtesy of Bob Lee through Joan Sharpe.

 

Contributed by:  Robert Anderson, WV CCC Museum Association

Author - Written on the Land



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Enrollee Bob Lee at entrance to Camp Copperhead.




The Forest Building




Camp Copperhead Forest Building.




The Mess Hall

Camp Copperhead Mess Hall.






Camp Copperhead Roster, page 1.
Camp Copperhead Roster, page 1.






Camp Copperhead Roster, page 2.


Camp Copperhead Roster, page 2.




A group of Copperhead boys relaxing outside of their barracks which includes Everson, Braham, Martin and Condry.
A group of Copperhead boys relaxing outside of their barracks which includes Everson, Braham, Martin and Condry.




Walter Black and Robert Lee.
Walter Black and Robert Lee.







Chappy Harrington.
Chappy Harrington.







Sam Morris.
Sam Morris.






Lawrence Mullins
Lawrence Mullins






Francis Austin
Francis Austin