CAMP MABRY HISTORICAL TOUR
Step back in time and explore the history of Camp Mabry Texas.
Camp Mabry - The Beginning
The history of Camp Mabry is synonymous with the evolution of the Texas military from a ragtag collection of 19th century volunteer militias to a modern 21st century fighting force. It is a story of volunteerism, community service and innovation. Along with the Texas National Guard, several other state agencies have shared Camp Mabry as a part of their history.
Established in 1892, Camp Mabry is the third oldest active military post in Texas. Before Camp Mabry, the Texas Volunteer Guard (precursor to the National Guard) held annual training wherever a landowner or town was willing to sponsor it. Many in the Texas Volunteer Guard, including Adjutant General Woodford H. Mabry, knew that a permanent training camp was necessary to ensure that troops were trained properly.
In 1891, the Adjutant General's Department formed a committee to study possible locations for such a camp. Although proposals were received from several cities, Austin was selected. On June 7, 1891, the Austin Daily Statesman announced, "It is ours!" and throughout that summer the Statesman urged the townspeople to support a permanent camp in the capitol city. In 1891 and early 1892, John L. Peeler, a prominent attorney and state legislator, formed the Citizens' Encampment Committee and collected subscriptions to buy land for the camp.
The Evolution of Camp Mabry
The first encampment was held in July 1892, and the troops voted to name the new camp in honor of General Mabry. The Citizens' Encampment Committee deeded the property to the state as a permanent military camp in December 1892. By 1913, the original 85 acre campground had grown to about 400 acres, and a number of permanent buildings and training facilities had been completed.
In 1903, the Volunteer Guard became the National Guard and annual encampments at Camp Mabry continued. In 1918, the Army and the University of Texas cooperated in creating the US Army School of Automobile Mechanics (SAM) at Camp Mabry. At the end of WWI, the Texas Legislature dedicated Camp Mabry to Texans who gave their lives in Europe.
Between 1924 and 1952, Camp Mabry was used by the State Highway Department and the Department of Public Safety. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) put unemployed men back to work building various stone structures, warehouses and workshops at Camp Mabry.
A second major building period occurred during WWII when the Army established motor repair and ordnance shops at Camp Mabry. Today, Camp Mabry is the headquarters for all the Texas Military Forces.
Mess Hall (1918); Building 6
Originally, the mess hall for the School of Automobile Mechanics (SAM), Building 6 now serves as the Texas Military Forces Museum. Designed by UT architect, George Endress, the dining room and kitchen covered 45,000 square feet and the mess hall accommodated 4,000 men. When it was built, Building 6 had the largest kitchen of its kind in Texas. Building 5, which is behind Building 6, was built around 1940 as the caretaker’s house. It stands near the former location of KTXA, DPS’s first radio station and the beginning of today’s modern statewide communications network.
Building 7, the white shed to the north, was the Texas Rangers’ horse stables until 1953 and now houses an artillery exhibit. The concrete slab to the west is the ruins of the old 1918 steam plant that supplied heat to the other buildings of the SAM. It was converted to a fallout shelter for a short period during the Cold War.
Barracks (1918); Buildings 10, 11, 14 and 15
Of the original six SAM barracks, only four remain. The other two burned down in 1929. Each building originally had a porch, but only Building 10 retains the original two-level porch; Building 15's porch was reconstructed in 2006. Designed by George Endress, the first floor of Buildings 10 and 11 served as makeshift classrooms for the SAM in 1918. Between 1935-1952, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) used buildings 10 and 11 for its headquarters and classrooms, along with an indoor shooting range and a crime laboratory. The crime lab was furnished with the first comprehensive fingerprint files and lab equipment in Texas.
The iron gates, lanterns and stone fence were built by the WPA in 1937. Also created are the stone arcade that connects Buildings 10 and 11 and a garden area in the courtyard to the west of the arcade.
Pond & Picnic Area (1892); Stone Dam (1938)
In June and July of 1892, workers using dynamite blasted a section of the creek and built a brick dam in order to create a bathing pool for the Texas Volunteer Guard. In 1938, WPA workers replaced the original brick dam with one of limestone. The dam's new design followed the philosophy of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to "cleverly insinuate itself into the park setting" by striving for irregularity in plan and in vertical section. The Camp Mabry dam has a naturalistic outline of native materials with a variety of stone shapes and sizes to create a rustic texture. For over 100 years Austinites have enjoyed the picnic area at Camp Mabry.
Stone Arch Bridges (1936-1938)
Two stone bridges were built by the WPA between 1936 and 1938 just north of the picnic area. Like the dam, they are executed in the CCC-rustic style or Depression-era style. Continued repair work has assured the stabilization of the bridges.
Workshops (1918-1942) Buildings 21, 24 & 26
Building 21, the stone building just south of Building 24, was built by the WPA in 1942. It was designed by Wyatt C. Hedrick, a prominent Fort Worth architect. He designed public buildings all over Texas including the Texas and Pacific Terminal and Warehouse in Ft. Worth, and many of his designs are considered historically significant. Building 24 served as a machine training shop for the SAM. This is an example of a WWI temporary building that was intended as a workshop. From 1919 to 1935 it was used for motor transport storage by the State Highway Department. During the late 1930s the building was used by Company E, 111th Quartermaster Regiment as a Third Echelon repair shop. From 1942 to 1947, it was used for storage by the United States Health Service Malaria Control Unit. It currently serves as the band headquarters. Building 26, the Paint Shop, was designed by Wyatt C.Hedrick, and constructed in 1942 by the WPA. The ashlar stone exterior is typical of the period.
Workshops and Warehouses (1941-1942) Buildings 30-39
Designed by Wyatt C. Hedrick, Buildings 33-39 were built in 1941 and Buildings 30-32 were built in 1942. These were the last WPA projects constructed at Camp Mabry. Originally intended for vehicle storage for the Texas National Guard, they were leased to the U.S. government for the 5th Echelon Motor Maintenance Repair Shop from 1942-1945. They also housed the Camp Mabry Ordnance shops and United States Property and Fiscal Office Warehouses.
The Camp Mabry shops were very innovative for their day. Shop commander, Major James W. Dewberry, sought disabled veterans for workers. As each man was discharged from the hospital, he gave them a letter offering them a job and training no matter how badly handicapped they were. The employees at Camp Mabry shops were encouraged to find ways to adapt machinery to the workers’ special needs. By the end of WWII, Camp Mabry was recognized for having the most productive and economical base shops in the United States.
Parade Field Grandstands (1890s)
The Parade Ground was cleared by citizens of Austin in June 1892 in preparation for the first encampment of the Texas Volunteer Guard. It remains the focal point of Camp Mabry. In July and August 1892, the public was invited to watch drills and mock battles on the parade ground. This became an annual Austin event for many years. The original 1890s grandstand burned down in 1902, and another was rebuilt by the community in 1903. Throughout the 1920s, polo matches were played on the field. Military airplanes landed here until the 1970s, and helicopters still land here today.
The State Arsenal (1915) Building 41
The Arsenal is the oldest building at Camp Mabry to be constructed entirely with state funds. Originally, it had a long loading dock and its own railroad siding to the International Great Northern Railroad. In 1975, when construction began on the Mopac Expressway (Loop 1), the eastern third of the building was removed to accommodate the West 35th Street exit. Before the Arsenal was built, the Texas National Guard stored its ammunition in the basement of the State Capitol.
Stone Pyramids (circa1937)
Theses stone and concrete pyramids were built by the WPA around 1937. They served as gateposts for a cedar fence that ran east-to-west across Camp Mabry. They are typical of WPA and CCC structures found at many state and national parks.
Craftsman-Style House (before 1918); Building 42
This building was used at various times as the camp headquarters and officers’ quarters. In 1918 it served as the infirmary for the SAM. Later that year, a two-story camp hospital (bldg. 45) was built nearby.
Hospital (1918); Building 45
This building was the hospital for the SAM. The surgeon, Dr. Kent, had an operating room on the south end of the first floor. From September through November 1918, Austin and the rest of the U.S. and Europe were in the grips of a flu pandemic which killed between 20 and 40 million people. Dr. Kent had his hands full since on any given day at Camp Mabry, as many as 200 soldiers were down with the flu. Although the building was heavily modified over the years to accommodate billeting, an extensive renovation restored the building’s exterior architectural fabric.
Stone Wall, Guard Post (circa1936)
The stone wall and guard post were built by the WPA around 1936. It is typical of the so-called “CCC-rustic” style, named after the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Looking for ways to put people back to work during the Depression, the WPA and CCC built many distinctive structures across the United States.
Headquarters (1918) Building 1
During World War 1, Camp Mabry took on its modern appearance and many of the historic buildings date to this period. Building 1 was designed by University of Texas (UT) architect George Edress in 1918 in a style reminiscent of cavalry buildings. It was the administration building for the SAM. The stone-lined drainages were built by the WPA between 1936 and 1938.
Guardhouse (1918) Building 2
The guardhouse served as sleeping quarters for the guards and watchmen in WWI. It is now a private residence. A two-story garage apartment was added in the 1920s, and there is a chicken coop on the west side which may have once been a horse stable.
Texas Guard All-Faiths Chapel (1976)
Construction on the Texas Guard All-Faiths Chapel was begun in July 1976 and the building was presented to the State of Texas in a ceremony on July 8, 1978. Financed entirely by private donations, the structure is accented by ten commemorative stained glass windows created by noted Texas artist, Bruce Marshall, which follow the theme “The Ten Battle Flags of Texas Soldiers”.