Camp Adair facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Camp Adair |
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| Benton County, near Corvallis, Oregon | |
Picture of the grounds in 2008
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Picture of grounds in 2008
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 Camp Adair
Camp Adair
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| Coordinates | 44°42′00″N 123°12′29″W / 44.7°N 123.208°W |
| Type | Military Base |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife City of Adair Village Private |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1942 |
| Built by | United States Army |
| In use | 1942-08-15 - 1943-05-10 1943-08-06 - 1943-11-01 96th Infantry Division Deployed to Pacific Theater 1942-09-15 - 1943-08-07 104th Infantry Division Deployed to France 1943-06-15 - 1944-07-25 70th Infantry Division Deployed to France 1943-11-02 - 1944-03-30 91st Infantry Division Deployed to North Africa 1944-07-26 - 1946-07-23 Prisoner Of War Camp. |
| Demolished | 1946 |
Camp Adair was a huge training center for the United States Army in Oregon. It was built near Corvallis and was used from 1942 to 1946. At its busiest, about 40,000 people lived there. This was enough to make it the second-largest "city" in Oregon at the time!
After World War II ended, most of the camp was taken apart. Later, in 1957, a part of it became "Adair Air Force Station." Today, some of the old Camp Adair land is part of the E. E. Wilson Wildlife Area. This area is managed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Other parts of the camp are now part of the small town called Adair Village.
History of Camp Adair: A Wartime Training Center
Why Was Camp Adair Built?
Plans for a large Army camp in Oregon started even before the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. In June 1941, World War II was already happening in Europe. The American military was growing fast. Experts looked at several places in western Oregon's Willamette Valley for a new camp.
They chose land north of Corvallis. This spot was picked because it was a large, flat area of farmland. It also had rolling hills, which were good for Army training. Plus, the land was available at a fair price.
Building a Giant Camp: Fast and Furious Construction
The camp covered a huge area of about 57,159 acres. It was built very quickly in just six months after the Pearl Harbor attack. More buildings were added later. Eventually, the camp could house 2,133 officers and 37,081 enlisted soldiers.
Camp Adair had around 1,800 buildings. About 500 of these were barracks where soldiers slept. The camp also had a hospital, a bakery, a post office, and a bank. There were 13 stores, 5 movie theaters, and 11 chapels. If Camp Adair had been a city, it would have been the second-biggest in Oregon during the war. The nearby city of Corvallis only had about 8,400 people in 1940.
The camp was officially named "Camp Adair" on September 6, 1943. But troops had been using it for many months before that, calling it "Corvallis Cantonment." The camp was named after Henry R. Adair. He was from Astoria and came from an important Oregon pioneer family. Henry Adair went to West Point and became a cavalry lieutenant. He died in battle in Mexico on June 21, 1916.
Camp Adair's Role During World War II
Camp Adair was a busy place for training soldiers. Several Army divisions trained there before going overseas to fight in the war.
- The 96th Infantry Division trained here before going to the Pacific.
- The 104th Infantry Division trained here before going to France.
- The 70th Infantry Division also trained here before going to France.
- The 91st Infantry Division trained here before going to North Africa.
Changing Uses: From Training to POW Camp
By July 1944, the 91st Infantry Division had left, and Camp Adair was no longer used for Army training. The base hospital was made bigger to hold 3,600 patients. It was then used by the United States Navy to treat sailors and marines who were hurt in the Pacific.
The base also became a prisoner-of-war camp. From August 1944 to July 1946, it held prisoners of war from Germany and Italy.
What Happened After the War?
After World War II ended, most of the buildings at Camp Adair were no longer needed. They were sold off to companies that took them apart. The wood, windows, and other parts were then sold to be used in other buildings. Some buildings were even moved whole to new locations and used for other purposes.
In 1957, Camp Adair became Adair Air Force Station. It was planned to be a part of a defense system, but those plans changed. The Air Force station closed in September 1969.
Chicano-Indian Study Center of Oregon: A New Idea
In 1971, some Chicano and Native American activists had an idea for the empty base. They wanted to create a "Chicano-Indian Study Center of Oregon" (CISCO). This center would offer high school and college classes, job training, child care, and health care.
When their requests were not heard, CISCO leaders led a group of 200 people to Camp Adair in 1972. They moved into one of the buildings. Eventually, they got ten buildings and raised money to fix them up. The center even had a program for alcohol and drug treatment that used traditional Native spiritual practices. This included a daily sweat lodge ceremony. In 1974, CISCO started a project to collect oral histories and build a library. The study center closed on March 31, 1977.
Camp Adair's Legacy Today
In 2010, the city council of Adair Village decided to move two of the old barracks buildings. They spent over $100,000 to move them near City Hall. The plan was to turn them into a historic center. A group called Adair Living History was formed to raise money for this project.
As of 2014, the plan was to use one building as a museum about Camp Adair's history. The other building would be a community center for the people living in Adair Village.
Images for kids
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Picture of the grounds in 2008
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Picture of grounds in 2008
