The Civilian Conservation Corps operated nationwide from 1933 to 1942 to conserve natural resources and provide work for young men during the Great Depression, employing 2.5 million men in 3,000 camps, including roughly 50,000 Texans who contributed significantly to the development of the state park system. At Fort Griffin, preservation of the historic site led citizens of Shackelford County to donate it to the state, and the National Park Service approved a new CCC camp there in 1939. Crews from camps in Cleburne and Lockhart arrived in 1939 and 1940, and in the spring of 1940 local men joined as original company members were discharged. Many enrolled in classes at the camp and local high school and took part in local sports and activities. Around 200 men completed a stone pavilion, park roads, 24 table and bench combinations, 14 camp fire places, two latrines, park surveys, a water drainage system, an entrance gate, and tree and shrub plantings on hundreds of acres. Although some local groups had hoped to emphasize restoration of historical features, most of the work focused on recreational amenities. The rock gate, roads, fort ruins, and pavilion remain at the site. The camp was abandoned on Dec. 1, 1941, and many of the young men went directly into military service and World War II. In the 1940s, many buildings used by the CCC were moved to military camps or schools throughout Texas.