Camp San Luis Obispo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Camp San Luis Obispo |
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| San Luis Obispo, California | |
 Camp San Luis Obispo
Camp San Luis Obispo
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| Coordinates | 35°19′17″N 120°44′20″W / 35.32139°N 120.73889°W |
| Type | Military Base |
| Site information | |
| Owner | State of California |
| Controlled by |  California National Guard |
| Condition | In use |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1928 |
| Built by | California Army National Guard |
| In use | 1928 – Present |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | 1941-03-10 – 1941-08-22 1941-09-05 – 1941-12-08 40th Infantry Division Deployed to Pacific Theater. 1942-01-17 – 1942-03-01 1943-01-18 – 1943-03-27 35th Infantry Division Deployed to France. 1942-04-24 – 1942-08-14 1942-10-20 – 1943-01-15 7th Infantry Division Deployed to Pacific Theater. 1943-03-28 – 1943-07-21 6th Infantry Division Deployed to Pacific Theater. 1943-11-20 – 1944-04-19 81st Infantry Division Deployed to Pacific Theater.. 1944-04-22 – 1944-07-02 96th Infantry Division Deployed to Pacific Theater. 1944-10-01 – 1944-11-23 1944-12-04 – 1945-02-05 86th Infantry Division Deployed to France. |
Camp San Luis Obispo is a large military base in San Luis Obispo, California. It is the main home for the California Army National Guard. This camp was also very important during World War II. It helped train many soldiers for the United States Army.
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History of Camp San Luis Obispo
Camp San Luis Obispo was first built in 1928. It was originally called Camp Merriam. This camp is known as the first home of the California National Guard. It is located in San Luis Obispo County. This area is part of the Central Coast of California. State Route 1 goes right through the camp. It is about halfway between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo.
Camp's Role in World War II and Korean War
During World War II, the camp grew a lot. It expanded from about 6,274 acres to 15,433 acres. It had enough space for over 1,500 officers and more than 19,000 soldiers. Many Army divisions trained here before going to fight overseas. These included the 40th, 35th, 7th, 6th, 81st, 96th, and 86th Infantry Divisions.
The camp was also used during the Korean War. From 1950 to 1953, the U.S. Army used it for signal corps training. Soldiers learned how to use communication equipment. It was also a Prisoner of War (POW) camp during World War II.
Local Community and Camp San Luis Obispo
Over the years, parts of the camp have been used for other purposes.
Cuesta College
In 1965, Cuesta College opened its doors on a rented part of the camp. Later, the college bought 160 acres of the camp land. They built a permanent campus there. The college moved into its new buildings by 1978.
El Chorro Regional Park
In 1972, over 700 acres of the camp were given to San Luis Obispo County. This land became El Chorro Regional Park. The park has places for barbecues, a softball field, and volleyball courts. It also has camping sites. Dairy Creek Golf Course is also located in the park. Some areas of the park are closed because old munitions have been found there.
Salinas Dam and Water Supply
The Salinas Dam was built to provide water to Camp San Luis Obispo. This dam created Santa Margarita Lake. Today, the lake supplies water to the city of San Luis Obispo. The United States Army Corps of Engineers still owns the lake.
Emergency Services and Law Enforcement Training
The California Office of Emergency Services uses parts of the camp. They have training areas for handling dangerous materials (HazMat).
In 2011, parts of the camp were used by California State Parks. They trained their park rangers and lifeguards there. In 2016, the State Parks left the camp. In 2018, the California Department of State Hospitals moved their police officer academy to the camp.
California Military Academy
The California Army National Guard has the California Military Academy at Camp San Luis Obispo. This academy trains members of the California National Guard. It also trains National Guard units from other western states. The California State Military Reserve also uses the academy. A key part of the academy is OCS, which stands for officer candidate school. This program trains people to become Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Army National Guard.
Conservation Corps State Museum
The Conservation Corps State Museum is located at Camp San Luis Obispo. It is housed in four old barracks buildings. The museum opened in 1995. It shows the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in California. One building is set up like a 1930s CCC barracks. It has tools, uniforms, and other items from that time. You can visit the museum by making an appointment. It also has a library for research about the CCC.
Youth Programs at the Camp
Camp San Luis Obispo is home to several programs for young people.
Grizzly Youth Academy
Since the early 2000s, the Grizzly Youth Academy has been a major part of the camp. This is California's version of the Youth Challenge Program. It helps young people develop life skills and earn their high school diploma.
California Cadet Corps
In July 2011, Camp San Luis Obispo became the permanent headquarters for the California Cadet Corps. This program teaches leadership and citizenship to students.
Civil Air Patrol
The camp also hosts the Civil Air Patrol's Encampment. This happens during the summer for the California Wing. They also hold their Cadet Programs Conference here in mid-February.
