History Camp Adair

1 history

1.1 background
1.2 establishment
1.3 end of use training facility
1.4 termination
1.5 chicano-indian study center of oregon
1.6 legacy

history
background

planning united states army cantonment in oregon preceded surprise bombing of american fleet on december 7, 1941 @ pearl harbor, hawaii. in june 1941, world war ii raging in europe , ranks of american military swelling, several potential sites army camps in willamette valley of western oregon had been surveyed. several locations in vicinity of eugene rejected , piece of land several miles north of corvallis chosen, owing in large measure ready availability @ reasonable price of large contiguous mass of relatively flat farmland rolling hills, suitable army s training needs.

the site tentatively tapped development cantonment in august 1941, pending authorization of construction funds.

establishment

the 57,159-acre (231.31 km) site rapidly constructed in 6 months following pearl harbor attack. further expansion followed, camp providing temporary quarters 2,133 officers , 37,081 enlisted personnel.

camp adair included 1800 buildings, of 500 barracks, , maintained hospital, bakery, post office, bank, 13 post exchange stores, 5 movie theaters, , 11 chapels, among other structures. explosion of population @ locale great during wartime years had site of camp adair been incorporated, have constituted second largest city in state of oregon. size of army camp dwarfed population of neighboring corvallis, stood @ under 8,400 in 1940.

although site formally dedicated camp adair on september 4, 1943, occupied troops many months prior date under name corvallis cantonment. camp named henry rodney adair, native of astoria, oregon , member of prominent oregon pioneer family. after graduating west point, adair became cavalry lieutenant, dying on june 21, 1916 @ battle of carrizal during pancho villa expedition mexico.

end of use training facility

by end of july 1944 91st infantry division had been deployed , camp adair abandoned army training facility. base hospital enlarged capacity of 3600 patients , turned on united states navy treatment of sailors , marines wounded in pacific theater.

the base repurposed prisoner-of-war camp , used august 1944 until july 1946 detention center german , italian pows.

termination

after end of war, of hurriedly constructed wartime structures @ camp adair declared government surplus , sold @ auction demolition contractors, dismantled buildings , sold lumber, windows, , other components reuse elsewhere. other buildings transported intact other sites , converted civilian use.

in 1957, camp adair became adair air force station , sage support facility, anticipating construction of cim-10 bomarc launch facility. construction of launch facility not completed due drastic reduction in bomarc program, infrastructure completed remains @ site.

chicano-indian study center of oregon

in 1971, chicano , native activists proposed vacant base used new chicano indian study center of oregon (cisco), provide high school , college-level courses, vocational training, child care, , health care.

in 1972, after requests site met deaf ears, cisco leaders led group of 200 people portland through chemawa indian school camp adair, occupied 1 of buildings. acquired ten buildings , solicited funding private, federal, , state sources refurbish campus.

the center included alcohol , drug treatment center used traditional native spiritual practices, particularly daily sweat lodge ceremony. in 1974, cisco began work on oral history , library project.

the study center ended on march 31, 1977.

legacy

in 2010 city council of adair village appropriated more $100,000 move 2 surviving barracks structures location near city hall adaptation historic center. nonprofit organization called adair living history established @ time , began raising estimated $850,000 needed complete renovations of barracks , other improvements new historic site. of summer of 2014, plans called 1 of 2 buildings used museum of camp adair s history , other serve community center use of residents of small town.