Following the 1929 stock market crash, almost 18 million people became unemployed and two million became homeless. After his election, Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented emergency measures that included the Civilian Conservation Corps, created by legislation signed March 31, 1933, authorizing the employment of unemployed citizens in the construction, maintenance, and carrying on of works of a public nature. The CCC was instrumental in advancing Indiana's fledgling state parks, reservoirs, and forests, where many properties lacked basic infrastructure and much of the land that became state property was severely eroded and treeless. The CCC built erosion controls, planted trees, and built roads and water systems, and it also constructed many memorable structures, including shelter houses, overlooks, and trails that continued to serve visitors. The CCC provided employment, income, and job training to unemployed men aged 18 to 23, who were paid $30 monthly, with $25 sent directly to their needy families. Almost 64,000 Hoosiers were assigned to CCC camps throughout the state, receiving training at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, while food and supplies were distributed from Ft. Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis.