Morgan Hill State Forest, along with the other neighboring state forests, was heavily logged during the 1800s and the early 1900s. New York, realizing the need to preserve the wilderness for the future generations, quietly began buying land to establish control over its resources. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which was a part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal, planted millions of conifer, maple, and hardwood trees, blazed new trails, and established roads for the park rangers to use. In the nearby parks, they also built stone bridges, roads, buildings, and retaining walls.