VAN BUREN -- For Alice Stagner, the boat ride that launched Saturday from a dock at Big Spring was about more than the scenery along the Current River.
It was a chance to retrace the footsteps of her grandfather.
"Our families have a fondness and special connection to the park," Stagner wrote in a note to park rangers who hosted the event. "The boat ride today was special."
John R. Dawson was a master carpenter in the Civilian Conservation Corps, a group of more than 3,000 men stationed in the hills of Carter County from 1933-37.
Youth aged 18-21 quarried stone from the nearby hills, shaped blocks by hand and built the lodge, 15 cabins and other structures.
The lodge, commissary and cabin 401 were temporarily reopened Saturday as part of an event to celebrate the history of the area.
Nearly 100 people attended despite flood warnings, according to Cathy Runge, Big Spring District interpreter. They toured the buildings, talked history, reminisced and took boat rides with a guide on the river, something that was regularly hosted at Big Spring until the 1980s.
These CCC buildings were closed in 2014, ahead of a possible renovation project. Park rangers said last week they hope to see funding for the effort in 2020.
Each of the stones used to build these structures, as well as a 145-foot entrance wall, represented eight hours of labor for a CCC youth, Dr. Jim Price, a former Riverways archeologist, has previously explained.
Price was on hand Saturday for the event, along with Donnie Price, a former assistant superintendent who worked at Big Spring in 1963.
Big Spring transitioned from a state park to part of the national park system in 1964.
Big Spring bridge closed in August for replacement. The spring, campground, pavilions and hiking trails remain open. The area is still accessible by State Route 103, with signs to turn onto Peavine Road to enter the Big Spring area. Visitors traveling to the Chubb Hollow group site or pavilion should remain on State Highway 103 until they reach Z Highway.