DUNLOW — In an era when government officials attempt to stimulate a stagnant economy by funding "shovel-ready" public works projects, West Virginia's Cabwaylingo State Forest shows what those programs can accomplish.

Most of the structures on the 8,123-acre forest — the superintendent's office, the rustic log cabins, the stone retaining walls, the picnic shelters and many of the footbridges — were built during the Great Depression of the 1930s as part of a government-funded program.

The program, the Civilian Conservation Corps, provided jobs and vocational training for an estimated 3 million unemployed men. Cabwaylingo was a training camp for the program. Men traveled to the forest, tucked in a remote corner of rural Wayne County, to learn and practice carpentry, stonework and other construction-related skills.

"The training camp was active from 1931 to 1936," said Bonnie Watts, the forest's secretary for the past 33 years. "The workers originally stayed in tents, but eventually they built a barracks and a dining hall and moved in there. That was called the McClintick Group Camp, and some of it is still being used today.

From their camp, the workers fanned out and built the forest's trail network, almost all of the cabins, the headquarters building and the shelters. "Just about everything you see here on the forest today, they built it. And it was all built by hand — nothing by machine," Watts said.

Superintendent Stuart Peters said most of the 73- to 78-year-old structures are as solid today as they were when they were built.

"It's pretty amazing when you think about it," he said. "They don't build things this way any more. We've replaced a few logs here and there, but overall these structures are in amazing shape for their age."

Peters said one of the forest's most remarkable buildings is the one that served as a kitchen for the old CCC group camp. Originally built to last just five years, the structure is still in use today.

All the raw materials for the projects came from the forest itself.

"They quarried the stone here, and they cut the logs for the log structures. In photos from the days when the training camp was active, you can see there were hardly any trees on the hillsides. They cut most of them to build the structures. The place is so heavily forested today that hardly seems possible," Peters said.

Visitors who stay in Cabwaylingo's cabins often comment about how solidly they're built.

"The foundations and chimneys are all fitted stonework. The logs used for construction are massive," Peters said. "We get a lot of remarks about the quality of the workmanship."

People interested in Depression-era history would find a lot to explore around the forest, but Peters said most visitors are simply interested in getting away from it all.

"Our cabins have stoves and microwave ovens, electricity and hot-and-cold running water," he said. "But they don't have phones and they don't have televisions. Our visitors tend to be people who just want to relax."

The cabins can accommodate two to six visitors. Rental rates vary from $44 to $71 on weeknights and $59 to $86 on weekends. A more modern handicapped-accessible cabin is available for $100 to $131 a night.

The group camp, with its recently rebuilt barracks, can accommodate parties of up to 100 people for church retreats, civic meetings, family reunions and the like.

Because the forest's water lines were laid so shallow, the camping season extends only from the first of April to the end of October. "If we don't drain the water lines as soon as the weather starts turning cold, the pipes freeze," Peters said.

Two campgrounds — one for primitive tent-style camping and the other for trailers and recreational vehicles — are also available.

The forest is a popular summertime picnic spot, especially for families.

"A lot of families come here to hold their reunions," Peters said. "We've become kind of 'the' place to hold reunions in this part of the state."

Visitors can hike the forest's extensive trail network, visit the historic CCC camp, fish the West Fork of Twelvepole Creek for trout or inspect the Tick Ridge Fire Tower, one of the few Depression-era fire towers still standing today.

The forest is located 42 miles south of Huntington along W.Va. Route 152. Nearby attractions include East Lynn Lake and the Laurel Creek Wildlife Management Area. For more information, contact the Cabwaylingo office at 304-385-4255.

Reach John McCoy at johnmc...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1231.

DUNLOW — In an era when government officials attempt to stimulate a stagnant economy by funding "shovel-ready" public works projects, West Virginia's Cabwaylingo State Forest shows what those programs can accomplish.

Most of the structures on the 8,123-acre forest — the superintendent's office, the rustic log cabins, the stone retaining walls, the picnic shelters and many of the footbridges — were built during the Great Depression of the 1930s as part of a government-funded program.

The program, the Civilian Conservation Corps, provided jobs and vocational training for an estimated 3 million unemployed men. Cabwaylingo was a training camp for the program. Men traveled to the forest, tucked in a remote corner of rural Wayne County, to learn and practice carpentry, stonework and other construction-related skills.

"The training camp was active from 1931 to 1936," said Bonnie Watts, the forest's secretary for the past 33 years. "The workers originally stayed in tents, but eventually they built a barracks and a dining hall and moved in there. That was called the McClintick Group Camp, and some of it is still being used today.

From their camp, the workers fanned out and built the forest's trail network, almost all of the cabins, the headquarters building and the shelters. "Just about everything you see here on the forest today, they built it. And it was all built by hand — nothing by machine," Watts said.

Superintendent Stuart Peters said most of the 73- to 78-year-old structures are as solid today as they were when they were built.

"It's pretty amazing when you think about it," he said. "They don't build things this way any more. We've replaced a few logs here and there, but overall these structures are in amazing shape for their age."

Peters said one of the forest's most remarkable buildings is the one that served as a kitchen for the old CCC group camp. Originally built to last just five years, the structure is still in use today.

All the raw materials for the projects came from the forest itself.

"They quarried the stone here, and they cut the logs for the log structures. In photos from the days when the training camp was active, you can see there were hardly any trees on the hillsides. They cut most of them to build the structures. The place is so heavily forested today that hardly seems possible," Peters said.

Visitors who stay in Cabwaylingo's cabins often comment about how solidly they're built.

"The foundations and chimneys are all fitted stonework. The logs used for construction are massive," Peters said. "We get a lot of remarks about the quality of the workmanship."

People interested in Depression-era history would find a lot to explore around the forest, but Peters said most visitors are simply interested in getting away from it all.

"Our cabins have stoves and microwave ovens, electricity and hot-and-cold running water," he said. "But they don't have phones and they don't have televisions. Our visitors tend to be people who just want to relax."

The cabins can accommodate two to six visitors. Rental rates vary from $44 to $71 on weeknights and $59 to $86 on weekends. A more modern handicapped-accessible cabin is available for $100 to $131 a night.

The group camp, with its recently rebuilt barracks, can accommodate parties of up to 100 people for church retreats, civic meetings, family reunions and the like.

Because the forest's water lines were laid so shallow, the camping season extends only from the first of April to the end of October. "If we don't drain the water lines as soon as the weather starts turning cold, the pipes freeze," Peters said.

Two campgrounds — one for primitive tent-style camping and the other for trailers and recreational vehicles — are also available.

The forest is a popular summertime picnic spot, especially for families.

"A lot of families come here to hold their reunions," Peters said. "We've become kind of 'the' place to hold reunions in this part of the state."

Visitors can hike the forest's extensive trail network, visit the historic CCC camp, fish the West Fork of Twelvepole Creek for trout or inspect the Tick Ridge Fire Tower, one of the few Depression-era fire towers still standing today.

The forest is located 42 miles south of Huntington along W.Va. Route 152. Nearby attractions include East Lynn Lake and the Laurel Creek Wildlife Management Area. For more information, contact the Cabwaylingo office at 304-385-4255.

Reach John McCoy at johnmc...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1231.