In February 1935, the first Civilian Conservation Corps ‘rolleo’ in the United States came to Gold Beach, Ore. A rolleo is a log-rolling contest, where two competitors stand on a spinning log floating in a pond and try to dislodge each other.
Several hundred spectators gathered for lunch and competition between two CCC teams, Camp Sebastian and Camp Humbug. They exhibited their woodcraft abilities, ranging from the rolleo to contests of tree-felling and log splitting and bucking. Local businesses donated an assortment of prizes, ranging from pocket knives to Agness boat trips.
In the afternoon, contestants chased a greased pig, the captor winning the pig for his demonstration of strength and agility.
The final competition pitted the two camps in a tug-of-war with a water hazard in-between that dunked the losers. The day’s overall victorious team received a “Woodcraft Supremacy” trophy.
That evening everyone attended a free dance with an orchestra provided by the foremen of the respective camps.
Sources: "Rolleo Events Start at 1:30." Curry County Reporter, 21 Feb. 1935, p. 1; “Roleo.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roleo. Accessed 8 January 2020.
