Camp Abbot
Encyclopedia
Camp Abbot was a United States Army
training center located south of Bend
, Oregon
, United States
. The center was used to train combat engineers during World War II
. A large part of site has now been developed as Sunriver Resort
. The rest has been incorporated into the Deschutes National Forest
. The only remaining structure from Camp Abbot is the officers mess hall. Today, it is part of Sunriver Resort. It is known as the Great Hall, and is used for large conferences and special events.
dispatched an Army Corps of Topographical Engineers survey party to look for a railroad route from the Sacramento Valley
in California
to the Columbia River
in the Oregon Territory
. This required the party to survey the Deschutes River area in central Oregon. The survey party was led by two Lieutenants, Robert Stockton Williamson and Henry Larcom Abbot
.
The Williamson-Abbot survey party included a geologist
-botanist, a physician
-naturalist
, several assistant engineers, a computation specialist, a pack master, and eighteen mule packers. At Fort Reading, a military escort of eighty infantrymen and twenty cavalry troopers joined the party. The escort was commanded by Lieutenant H. G. Gibson with Lieutenants George Crook
and Philip H. Sheridan leading elements of the detachment.
While in central Oregon, illness forced Lieutenant Williamson to return to California. This left Lieutenant Abbot in charge of the expedition. On 4 September 1855, Abbot and a detachment of the survey party camped at a site along the Deschutes River that would become Camp Abbot. Abbot completed the survey of central Oregon, crossed the Cascade Mountains into the Willamette Valley
, and then returned to Fort Reading, arriving in mid-November 1855. In 1857, the Army published Abbot's thorough 499 page report under the title Report of Lieut. Henry L. Abbot Upon Explorations for a Railroad Route from Sacramento Valley to the Columbia River.
, who had led a survey party through the area in 1855. The first trainees arrived at Camp Abbot in March 1943, even before the camp was formally dedicated on 2 September 1943. At that time, it was one of only three combat engineer training centers in the United States; the other two being Fort Belvoir
(Virginia) and Fort Leonard Wood
(Missouri).
Approximately 10,000 soldiers were trained during each 17 week cycle. The training was conducted in three phases. The first part of the course focused on rifle marksmanship and other basic combat skills. The first phase also included special training on hand grenades, anti-tank mine
s, and other combat engineering tasks. The second phase was demolition
training. During that phase, trainees learned how to build and destroy bridges and other structures. The final phase was three weeks of field maneuvers carried out under combat conditions. Over 90,000 combat engineers were trained at Camp Abbot before the center was closed in June 1944. Most of the camp structures were demolished shortly after the training center closed.
. However, approximately 3800 acres (15.4 km²) were sold as private land. That property changed hands a number of times, until it was purchased by John Grey in 1965. Grey began development of Sunriver Resort, selling the first residential lots in 1968. Today, Sunriver is a luxury resort with a 250 room lodge, three golf courses, six restaurants, and an executive airport. There are approximately 400 homes on the adjacent Sunriver property along with a small commercial district that supports the shopping needs of the community.
Today, only one original Camp Abbot building remains. The officers' mess hall was built in 1944 by the Army Corps of Engineers under the direction of Captain John V. Banks. It still exists at its original location; however, it is now part of Sunriver Resort, known as the Great Hall and is used for large conferences and special events such as banquets and weddings.
The historic Great Hall is an impressive log structure measuring 50 by. It was constructed using native stone and logs cut near the building site. The Great Hall has a high ceiling with exposed beams, a large stone fireplace, and a balcony overlooking the main floor. There are also small side rooms including an intimate fireside room and a number of conference rooms. In 1993, Sunriver Resort completed a major renovation of the Great Hall. As a result, the historic Great Hall is a modern facility with unique architectural character.
The only other Camp Abbot structure to survive for an extended period was the General Patch Bridge which was constructed in 1944 by Army engineers during the Oregon Maneuver
. The Oregon Maneuver was the largest military field exercise ever conducted in the Pacific Northwest
. It involved over 100,000 army troops, many of them combat engineers based at Camp Abbot. The maneuver extended across six eastern Oregon counties. Camp Abbot was used as the exercise headquarters because of its central location and military infrastructure.
The General Patch Bridge was located on Deschutes National Forest land within the boundaries of old Camp Abbott. The bridge was named for General Alexander M. Patch, who led the Oregon Maneuver. The Forest Service demolished the bridge in 2008 because the structure was unsafe.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
training center located south of Bend
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The center was used to train combat engineers during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. A large part of site has now been developed as Sunriver Resort
Sunriver Resort
Sunriver Resort is a luxury resort and residential community in central Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The resort is located at the edge of the high desert, just east of the Cascade Range, in Sunriver, 15 miles south of Bend and 180 miles south-southeast of Portland...
. The rest has been incorporated into the Deschutes National Forest
Deschutes National Forest
The Deschutes National Forest is a United States National Forest located in parts of Deschutes, Klamath, Lake, and Jefferson counties in central Oregon. It comprises 1.8 million acres along the east side of the Cascade mountains. In 1908, the Deschutes National Forest was established from parts...
. The only remaining structure from Camp Abbot is the officers mess hall. Today, it is part of Sunriver Resort. It is known as the Great Hall, and is used for large conferences and special events.
Site history
In 1855, Secretary of War Jefferson DavisJefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
dispatched an Army Corps of Topographical Engineers survey party to look for a railroad route from the Sacramento Valley
Sacramento Valley
The Sacramento Valley is the portion of the California Central Valley that lies to the north of the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses all or parts of ten counties.-Geography:...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
in the Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
. This required the party to survey the Deschutes River area in central Oregon. The survey party was led by two Lieutenants, Robert Stockton Williamson and Henry Larcom Abbot
Henry Larcom Abbot
Henry Larcom Abbot was a military engineer and officer in the United States Army.-Early life:Henry Larcom Abbot was born in Beverly, Massachusetts. Abbot attended West Point and graduated second in his class with a degree in military engineering in 1854...
.
The Williamson-Abbot survey party included a geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
-botanist, a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
-naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
, several assistant engineers, a computation specialist, a pack master, and eighteen mule packers. At Fort Reading, a military escort of eighty infantrymen and twenty cavalry troopers joined the party. The escort was commanded by Lieutenant H. G. Gibson with Lieutenants George Crook
George Crook
George R. Crook was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
and Philip H. Sheridan leading elements of the detachment.
While in central Oregon, illness forced Lieutenant Williamson to return to California. This left Lieutenant Abbot in charge of the expedition. On 4 September 1855, Abbot and a detachment of the survey party camped at a site along the Deschutes River that would become Camp Abbot. Abbot completed the survey of central Oregon, crossed the Cascade Mountains into the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
, and then returned to Fort Reading, arriving in mid-November 1855. In 1857, the Army published Abbot's thorough 499 page report under the title Report of Lieut. Henry L. Abbot Upon Explorations for a Railroad Route from Sacramento Valley to the Columbia River.
World War II
During World War II, the Army needed to rapidly expand its combat engineer training. On 4 December 1942, the War Department established a 5500 acres (22.3 km²) combat engineer replacement and training center along the Deschutes River south of Bend, Oregon. It was named in honor of Brigadier General Henry Larcom AbbotHenry Larcom Abbot
Henry Larcom Abbot was a military engineer and officer in the United States Army.-Early life:Henry Larcom Abbot was born in Beverly, Massachusetts. Abbot attended West Point and graduated second in his class with a degree in military engineering in 1854...
, who had led a survey party through the area in 1855. The first trainees arrived at Camp Abbot in March 1943, even before the camp was formally dedicated on 2 September 1943. At that time, it was one of only three combat engineer training centers in the United States; the other two being Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir is a United States Army installation and a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Originally, it was the site of the Belvoir plantation. Today, Fort Belvoir is home to a number of important United States military organizations...
(Virginia) and Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood (military base)
Fort Leonard Wood is a United States Army installation located in the Missouri Ozarks. The main gate is located on the southern boundary of St. Robert. The post was created in December 1940 and named in honor of General Leonard Wood, former Chief of Staff, in January 1941...
(Missouri).
Approximately 10,000 soldiers were trained during each 17 week cycle. The training was conducted in three phases. The first part of the course focused on rifle marksmanship and other basic combat skills. The first phase also included special training on hand grenades, anti-tank mine
Anti-tank mine
An anti-tank mine, , is a type of land mine designed to damage or destroy vehicles including tanks and armored fighting vehicles....
s, and other combat engineering tasks. The second phase was demolition
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
training. During that phase, trainees learned how to build and destroy bridges and other structures. The final phase was three weeks of field maneuvers carried out under combat conditions. Over 90,000 combat engineers were trained at Camp Abbot before the center was closed in June 1944. Most of the camp structures were demolished shortly after the training center closed.
Post-war development
In the years following World War II, a portion of the Camp Abbot property was returned to the United States Forest ServiceUnited States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
. However, approximately 3800 acres (15.4 km²) were sold as private land. That property changed hands a number of times, until it was purchased by John Grey in 1965. Grey began development of Sunriver Resort, selling the first residential lots in 1968. Today, Sunriver is a luxury resort with a 250 room lodge, three golf courses, six restaurants, and an executive airport. There are approximately 400 homes on the adjacent Sunriver property along with a small commercial district that supports the shopping needs of the community.
Original structures
The historic Great Hall is an impressive log structure measuring 50 by. It was constructed using native stone and logs cut near the building site. The Great Hall has a high ceiling with exposed beams, a large stone fireplace, and a balcony overlooking the main floor. There are also small side rooms including an intimate fireside room and a number of conference rooms. In 1993, Sunriver Resort completed a major renovation of the Great Hall. As a result, the historic Great Hall is a modern facility with unique architectural character.
The only other Camp Abbot structure to survive for an extended period was the General Patch Bridge which was constructed in 1944 by Army engineers during the Oregon Maneuver
Oregon Maneuver
The Oregon Maneuver was a large scale military training exercise held in Central Oregon in 1943. The exercise was designed to test United States Army units prior to deployment in support of Allied combat operations in World War II. The maneuver included approximately 100,000 men...
. The Oregon Maneuver was the largest military field exercise ever conducted in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. It involved over 100,000 army troops, many of them combat engineers based at Camp Abbot. The maneuver extended across six eastern Oregon counties. Camp Abbot was used as the exercise headquarters because of its central location and military infrastructure.
The General Patch Bridge was located on Deschutes National Forest land within the boundaries of old Camp Abbott. The bridge was named for General Alexander M. Patch, who led the Oregon Maneuver. The Forest Service demolished the bridge in 2008 because the structure was unsafe.