Arkansas National Guard Museum
Lloyd England Hall
Camp Joseph T.
Robinson
North Little Rock,
Arkansas
501-212-5215
http://www.arngmuseum.com/
Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
1st weekend of the month.
Saturday 8:00 a.m. -
3:00 p.m.
Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 3:00
p.m.
Little Rock bids on new
post.
The United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917.
The Army announced plans to build 32 camps to train soldiers and asked states
for proposals.
Little Rock decided to pursue one of the camps, the Board of Commerce (today's
Chamber of Commerce) took the initiative.
The Board of Commerce found suitable ground north of the river and prepared a
topographical map.
The Army sent Little Rock citizens and met daily to get answers and submitted
those answers to Washington.
The Army sent an inspection team to examine proposed camp sites in the Southeast
District - Little Rock and Fort Smith in Arkansas, Hattiesburg and Holly Springs
in Mississippi and Alexandria and Shreveport in Louisiana.
The inspectors raised three concerns about Little Rock's proposed site:
Mosquitoes
Lack of adequate water supply
Lack of adequate rail service.
The Board developed a plan, with the state health officer, to eradicate the
mosquito in Pulaski County (cost $50,000).
Missouri Pacific railroad guaranteed completion of rail service in three weeks.
The Board hired water well experts. They found an underground stream capable of
supplying the 2,500,000 gallons per day the Army required.
Little Rock is successful
The Army awarded the post to Little Rock on June 11, 1917, contingent on Little
Rock's ability to raise the funds needed.
The Board of Commerce raised a sum of $230,000 in two days; a total of $325,000
was raised by the end of June 1917, all from private citizens. (The $325,000
equates to over $4,500,000 in 2000 dollars.)
Use of funds:
Purchase of 3,000 acres = $187,000
Lease of 10,000 acres - $60,000
Mosquito control - $50,000
Water wells - $5,000
Contingency - $23,000
Little Rock native Major John R. Fordyce was appointed construction
quartermaster and arrived June 15, 1917.
The new camp was named Camp Pike in honor of General Zebulon Pike, western
explorer and discoverer of Pike's Peak.
Arkansas National Guard Museum:
One |
Two |
Three |
Four |
Five |
Six
