CCC stonework at Sibley State Park, Minnesota

This summer I hope to resume traveling and documenting stonework created by the Civilian Conservation Corps.  In the meantime, here is a look at a tower at the peak of Mt. Tom, at Sibley State Park in west-central Minnesota.  The stonework is reasonably characteristic of the CCC, in that local stone has been used, intentionally mixing different colors for a more interesting visual effect. 

A plaque at the base of the observation tower noted that the deck was a recent addition to the original monument, shown here in an old postcard:

To appreciate the amount of work that went into the construction of this marker, note first the size/weight of the stones, and then notice that individual blocks have been hand-hewn to create corners, and then they were assembled in that complex octagonal arrangement.  All this for a "simple" marker (and rain refuge) in what at the time was a remote and seldom-used state park.  I have a lot of respect for the stonemasons of the CCC.

Top photograph by Elly Vortex (a TYWKIWDBI reader), posted in her blog, Tales of the Witch of November, which features explorations of hiking trails in Minnesota.