One of the many photographs that C.H. Bennett took during his stay at the Secret Valley CCC camp from 1936-1938, was a Veteran’s Day Service at the McKissick family cemetery located a few miles from the camp. Earlier that year, John Daniel McKissick had passed away and was buried there. His father, John Best McKissick was known as the World’s First Champion, is also buried there.. John Daniel, it should be noted was a military veteran. The photographs are rather interesting.

On an additional note, Bennett’s daughter did include copies of clippings from. the CCC newspaper Happy Days, which provides an interesting glimpse of life there. For a time, Susanville’s Lassen Mail newspaper ran news items from the camp, so between the two sources, along with the photographs, provide some interesting aspects, not to mention a balladeer melody.

Tim