Camp Withycombe, located in

Clackamas County, Oregon Clackamas County ( ) is one of the List of counties in Oregon, 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 421,401, making it Oregon's third-most populous county. Its county sea ...

, United States, was originally established as Camp Benson after Governor Frank W. Benson, but was later renamed Camp Withycombe during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

for Governor

James Withycombe James Withycombe (March 21, 1854 – March 3, 1919) was an English-born American Republican politician who served as the 15th Governor of Oregon. Biography Withycombe was born to tenant farmers Thomas and Mary Ann Withycombe in Tavistock, E ...

. Originally known as the Clackamas Rifle Range, it was established as a training camp in 1909 and expanded during World War I, during which it served as a headquarters for the

National Guard National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. ...

, a central supply depot and training center.

Pendleton, Oregon Pendleton is a city in and the county seat of Umatilla County, Oregon, Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. The population was 17,107 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, which includes approximately 1,600 people who are ...

photographer

Walter S. Bowman Walter Scott Bowman (February 8, 1865 – November 27, 1938) was a prominent professional photographer in Pendleton, Oregon. His work is included in the University of Oregon's

photographed Camp Benson in the early 20th century. In the 1930s, the camp became a supply depot. Some of the buildings on the camp property, such as the Adjutant General's house (1938), were built by the

Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; from 1935 to 1939, then known as the Work Projects Administration from 1939 to 1943) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to car ...

(WPA). The camp still serves as a training facility, supply depot, and equipment repair facility for the National Guard, but the rifle range is now closed.

Site overview

Camp Withycombe is state land under the responsibility of the

Oregon Military Department The Oregon Military Department is an agency of the Government of Oregon, government of the U.S. state of Oregon, which oversees the armed forces of the state of Oregon. Under the authority and direction of the Governor of Oregon, governor as ...

(OMD), a state agency, and is home to several

Oregon Army National Guard The Oregon Army National Guard is a federally mandated and equipped military organization under the civilian direction of the Oregon Military Department, with the Governor of Oregon as its Commander-in-Chief. It responds to state and national eme ...

(ORARNG) military units under the jurisdiction of federal and state military authorities. Camp Withycombe is a 77+ acre site that is located at the foot of Mount Talbert southeast of

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...

. The site contains historic military structures and has had a military armory on site since 1956. The site also contains maintenance, logistics and warehousing functions in support of military missions throughout the state. The site's armory/readiness training center functions have been identified for upgrade/replacement to house the corporate headquarters of the 41st Brigade as well as joint forces in a new Armed Forces Readiness Center for realigned units from closing

United States Army Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a Military reserve force, reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed ...

(USAR) installations in the region.

General history

Throughout its history, Camp Withycombe has been used as a rifle range, mobilization camp, and supply depot, and many agencies have been involved in its ownership and management. Camp Withycombe was originally known as the Clackamas Firing Range and consisted of 100 acres, purchased in 1910. By 1915, the federal government purchased seven additional parcels it had been leasing, increasing the facility's size to 234 acres. By 1934, the facility's role as a military supply warehouse and disbursement center expanded and the Clackamas Firing Range was designated a federal military reservation and named Camp Withycombe, after former Oregon governor, James Withycombe. Camp Withycombe served as a mobilization point for the ORARNG for federal service throughout World War I and II and other federal operations. Throughout World War II, the site was used as a United States (U.S.) Army barracks and its firing ranges received extensive use by the U.S. Army, the U.S. Marine Corps, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, police, and civilians (AMEC, 2009). In addition to uses for training, Camp Withycombe served as a supply depot. In 1949, additional facilities were built in support of the camp's supply function and role as an ordnance center. The Department of Defense (DoD) conveyed Camp Withycombe to the OMD in 1956 through a quitclaim deed that required the property continue to be used for military purposes only, or it would be reverted to the U.S. government. Eventually, OMD transferred ownership of 156 acres of the property to ODOT for inclusion in the proposed Sunset Corridor right-of-way. Under a lease agreement with ODOT, OMD maintains administrative control over the entire property. The Department of Army released reversionary interest in the 156-acre ODOT portion of the property through the U.S. Congress in 1989. The Department of Army maintains reversionary interest in the remaining OMD Property.

Oregon Military Museum

The Oregon Military Museum is located within Camp Withycombe. As a member of the Army Museum System, the recently expanded Museum is free to public.Army Museum System Directory
,

U.S. Army Center of Military History The United States Army Center of Military History (CMH) is a directorate within the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. The Institute of Heraldry remains within the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Arm ...

References

External links

History of Camp Withycombe

Oregon Military Museum
{{United States Army history museums Buildings and structures in Clackamas County, Oregon Installations of the United States Army National Guard Military installations in Oregon Works Progress Administration in Oregon 1909 establishments in Oregon United States Army museums