Way Back Wednesday in Calhoun County---March 8-14
We are focusing on the military in this week’s edition of Way Back Wednesday in Calhoun County blog. The March 8-14 blog is a salute to Fort McClellan. Fort McClellan was established as a training camp when the United States entered World War I in 1919. The military and Calhoun County had a close working relationship during the time the fort was operational. Sadly, a large portion of the military contingent left when Fort McClellan was officially close in 1999. To learn more about the history of Fort McClellan pick up a copy of Images of America series books: Anniston Revisited, Anniston, or Calhoun County.
March 8, 1919: Anniston, AL. The 29th Division Vaudeville Troupe was scheduled to perform at the Noble Theatre for two performances: a matinee and night show. The 29th Division was nicknamed the Blue and Gray Division when it was organized in August 1917 at Camp McClellan. The division was the first infantry unit trained at the camp and served during World War I.
March 9, 1960: Fort McClellan, AL. The Army’s District Engineer, Col. R. W. Love, announced that a sale of lumber from 224 acres of timber on the Fort McClellan reservation would be sold later in March 1960. The Army planned to auction off some 44,000 board feet of hardwood and 455 standard cords of pine pulpwood.
March 10, 1966: Fort McClellan, AL. The Officers’ Wives Club operated a thrift shop on base and donated the proceeds to charitable organizations. On this date in 1966, Mrs. Macon A. Hipp, the commanding officer’s wife, presented some the shop’s earnings to the Fort McClellan Youth Activities Council which was chaired by LTC Harold B. Towniley.
March 11, 1998: Fort McClellan, AL. The officials from Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri scheduled an expo at the McClellan Club. The purpose of the expo was to convince the Military Police and Chemical School employees at Fort McClellan to transfer to the Ozarks based-fort. The expo was upsetting for many since Fort McClellan was facing great uncertainty while going through the procedures to shut down the post due to the Base Realignment and Closure Committee’s decision.
March 12, 1919: Camp McClellan, AL. The Army announced there would be a livestock auction at the military post. The Army offered 1000 horses and 1000 mules for purchase. The military allowed buyers to inspect the animals. The auction was organized to feature single animals as well as group lots of animals in an effort to suit the wide variety of buyers expected. The auctioning of horses and mules was a common practice of the Army before the implementation of mechanized vehicles.
March 13, 1922: Camp McClellan, AL. At the end of World War I, the military found a use for the training centers established to prepare soldiers to fight the “War to End All Wars”. In peacetime, Camp McClellan became a training center for the National Guard units. These citizen soldiers would come to McClellan to train which in turn would stimulate the local economy. The military post remained a camp until 1929, when it was designated as permanent military post and given the designation of Fort McClellan.
March 14, 1967: Anniston, AL. Team sporting events were popular pastime. Fort McClellan fielded teams to compete with local teams in most sports. The Five Fingers of Fort McClellan was the post bowling team which won third place in the 1967 team competition against local Anniston teams.
