The North Mountain Historical Society

Meeting: August, 2000

August 21, 2000

The History Buffs met at the Brass Pelican on the third Monday, August 21, 2000 with 60 people present including one couple from California, several from Sullivan County snd several from Bloomsburg and Benton. Our Group is growing.
Before the meeting opened Jim Vance canvassed the room for suggestions for future meetings. He got a good response: The history of telephone service in the area, politics and elections, more on the fishing Creek Confederacy, the history of the White House, how and when electriciy was brought to the area, the B & S Railroad. These all sound like interesting subjects and hopefully something can be worked out. After the reading of the minutes David Kline introduced the speaker for the day, Mr. Wilson Ferguson, President of the Sullivan County Historical Society. His topic- the C.C.C. camp north of Elk Grove. Mr Ferguson prefaced his history of the Camp with information about the village of Emmons, also known as Bombtown, The town, located at the juncture of Painter Run with the West Branch of Fishing Creek, had been abandoned long before the establishment of the C.C.C. Camp. Getting his information from the writings of a one room school teacher in the village he gave us an excellent and entertaining picture of life in the lumber camp and acid factory town. The factory moved out and the town gradually disappeared as the timber was used up. Emmons Post Office was in service from 1894 to 1910. The first contingent for the C.C.C. camp left Fort Meade, Maryland on June 5, 1933. They arrived in Benton by train on June 6, 1933 and were transported by truck to the site of the camp. The first night a heavy wind and rainstorm tore down many of their tents, Eighteen men quit the camp the first night. But after a rough start Camp Morton, as it was called, grew and prospered. They won several contests with other camps in the state. Their work projects included building roads, bridges and fish dams, stream improvement, fire and truck trails, reforestration, etc. The camp lasted 4 1/2 years. At that time most of their work in the area was accomplished and the draft was calling many of the young men of that age into the army. Mr. Ferguson then opened the meeting to anyone who had anything else to offer. Several people offered insight as to how the boys fit into the community. Some said the boys were resented by local citizens but others gave instances where they fit in very well. Bette Hess Grey told how they used the ball diamond in Grassmere Park as their practice and home diamond. There were three former CCC members present but none who had been based at Camp Morton. There were several people present who had relatives who were employed at the camp as foremen or leaders. After the meeting, many accompanied Mr. Ferguson to the site of the camp where they saw what is left of roads and foundations. Our thanks go to Mr. Fergusin for a very interesting presentation.
The next meeting will be September 18. The topic will be the Benton Fire. The speaker will be Professor George Turner from Bloomsburg.