by Paula Muina, President of the Post Community Association
posted June 26, 2008
Fort Oglethorpe Post, when opened in 1904, consisted of 74 buildings costing from $2,000 - $64,000 each to build, accommodated 50 commissioned officers, 1,200 enlisted men, and 1,500 horses. It was the “largest” and “finest” cavalry post in the United States, was visited by Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt and was home to future President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1917.
Also in 1917, the medical training facility, Camp Greenleaf, opened at Fort Oglethorpe. Said the be the “West Point of Medicine”, Camp Greenleaf was the largest medical military training facility in the country with over 4,000 officers and 20,000 enlisted men trained by March of 1918. During WWI, Fort Oglethorpe had approximately 80,000 mobilized U.S. soldiers and held the largest P.O.W. camp in the country, housing over 3,400, mostly German, Prisoners of War.
The Post was home to the famed Sixth Cavalry Regiment from 1919 – 1942, when the 6th Cavalry was moved to South Carolina. The Post, then, became home to the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WACS). It made history again on April 22, 1944 when Lt. - Col. Elizabeth Strayhorn became the first woman in U.S. history to be Commander of a Post. After WWII, the Post became a redistribution center for U.S. soldiers returning from the war.
As with many other military posts across the nation after WWII, Fort Oglethorpe Post was closed, considered “surplus” by the U.S. government, and sold to the public. The civilian town of Fort Oglethorpe was incorporated in 1949.
When the post closed over 100 buildings were sold. Sadly, all that remains of this fine post are approximately 20 buildings, most of which are located on Barnhardt Circle, the “Officer’s Row” of Fort Oglethorpe Post. These grand homes, Queen Anne and Neoclassical in architecture, are some of the few remaining examples of this “elaborate” period in military establishments. Sadder still, is the lack of public knowledge of the history of Fort Oglethorpe Post.
When reading the brief history of Fort Oglethorpe Post above, it is clear how significant the post was, not only in creating the civilian town of Fort Oglethorpe, but also in shaping the surrounding areas. We, the Post Community Association, would like to see that the history of Fort Oglethorpe is not lost. We are losing over 700 WWII veterans every day in this country, and every day their memories and stories are lost too.
Paula Muina President, Post Community Association
Barnhardt Circle
Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742
www.postcommunity.org pmuina@hotmail.com
(706)858-9540
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