What: The City of Tyler will host a special Veterans Day ceremony to unveil a Half Mile of History stone for Camp Fannin. The stones are part of the Half-Mile of History heritage trail in Downtown Tyler.
When: 11:11 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009
Where: Gallery Main Street
110 W. Erwin
Downtown
Tyler, TX
Background:
The City of Tyler’s historic preservation program, the Half Mile of History, resulted from a recommendation that came out of the Tyler 21 planning process. The fifth goal of the Historic Preservation Chapter is:
“Promote and display diverse aspects of Tyler’s history to enhance resident and
visitor awareness of its importance.”
The goal of the Half Mile of History is to pay tribute to people, places and events that have contributed to the rich history of Tyler and Smith County.
The Half Mile of History is a permanent, outdoor, half-mile loop that surrounds the square in the heart of downtown Tyler. Stone plaques are placed in the sidewalk along the Half Mile of History to commemorate significant people, places or events.
Honoree:
Camp Fannin
The U.S. Government War Department created Camp Fannin in 1942. With the support of U.S. Congressman Lindley Beckworth, U.S. Senator Tom Connally and a group of Tyler business leaders (including: Henry Marsh Bell, Abe Pounds, Sam R. Greer and John Stephens), a 15,000-acre site eight miles northeast of downtown Tyler was selected for the camp.
The federal government purchased more than 2,000 acres for the training center and leased 13,000 acres for use as bivouac areas, rifle ranges, machine gun ranges and other areas necessary for the training of U.S. Army recruits and draftees. The camp opened in March 1943 and received its first recruits for training in May 1943. The last training cycle ended in December 1945. It is estimated that more than 200,000 young men were trained at Camp Fannin and an estimated 2,000 civilians were employed at the camp during its peak. In all, up to 30,000 men and women were at the camp on a daily basis.
At the end of World War II, Camp Fannin was used as a discharge center and was deactivated in June of 1946. In 1948, the War Assets Administration deeded the station hospital and 647 acres to the State of Texas for use as a tuberculosis hospital. The remainder of the 2,000 acres of land was sold; much of it was purchased by local business leaders and is now known as Owentown and the East Texas Center.
In Gordon Neilson’s book, Camp Fannin Texas...A 50 Year Perspective, a foreword by U.S. Congressman Ralph Hall states, “Camp Fannin made an invaluable contribution to Tyler and East Texas. In return, the area was able to make a tremendous contribution to the war effort. After the end of World War II, the camp freezer plant became Consolidated Nurseries, planting the seeds for a thriving new rose-growing industry. Other buildings from the camp became the forerunner of what is today the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler...”
Gordon Neilson cites a number of businesses in Tyler that felt the immediate economic impact that Camp Fannin had on the City of Tyler and Smith County. Citizens National Bank was named as the depository for the huge payroll and operating funds of the camp; Sam Hill Lumber Co. and Gulf State Lumber Co. were major suppliers of lumber and materials for the camp; Hugh White built the camp laundry and P.M. Campbell and Luther Kay, Jr. built the hospital power plant and the tall brick smokestack, which is still in existence today.
During the war, the citizens of Tyler welcomed Camp Fannin trainees into their homes, churches and businesses. Young men from throughout the United States celebrated most of their weekend passes in Tyler. Many of the trainees met their future spouses while at Camp Fannin and settled in Tyler after the war. A great number of the “greatest generation” integrated into the Tyler community as bankers, farmers, small businessmen, accountants, and as active and involved citizens.
Today, 66 years after the opening of Camp Fannin, its legacy remains as one of the major influences on the City of Tyler’s historic growth.