The creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 brought promise to communities affected by the Great Depression of the 30s. Through the cooperative efforts of the Chamber of Commerce, city officials, and interested citizens, 170 acres known as the Perry City Farm was designated as the site for a CCC camp. Will Rogers, then Oklahoma's Congressman at Large, worked with the United States Department of the Interior to help secure a camp for Perry. In March 1934, Perry was selected as the site for CCC Camp Number 863. Here, 216 young men, including some from Perry, lived and worked from May 1, 1934 through July 1, 1935. They constructed buildings, bridges, trails, shelters, and picnic tables, planted more than 2,000 trees, and stocked the 20-acre lake with crappie, bluegill, and channel catfish. The buildings and structures that remain are excellent examples of Park Rustic, the architectural and landscape design philosophy of the National Park Service. Perry Lake Park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.