Camp Wallace
Encyclopedia
Camp Wallace was a facility of the United States Army
located near the unincorporated town of Grove
in southeastern James City County
in the Virginia Peninsula
portion of the Hampton Roads region of Virginia in the United States
.
Camp Wallace served from 1918 to 1971 as satellite facility of the army base which became Fort Eustis. It was the first site of the Army's aerial tramway
.
, Camp Abraham Eustis was established by the United States Army
in Warwick County, Virginia
in 1918. It encompassed historic Mulberry Island
. In 1923, the Camp became Fort Eustis. The former Warwick County consolidated to become a part of the independent city
of Newport News
in 1958. Fort Eustis, near the southwestern edge of the city just east of the Lee Hall
community, which remains as an important U.S. Army base in the 21st century.
from the Warwick River and Mulberry Island, a satellite facility, Camp Wallace, was established in 1918 as the Upper Firing Range of for artillery training. Consisting of 30 barracks, six storehouses, and eight mess halls, it was located on 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) on the edge of Grove
, west of Carter's Grove Plantation
, south of U.S. Route 60
, and east of the old Kingsmill Plantation
in nearby James City County
.
Camp Wallace included some rugged terrain and bluffs overlooking the river. It was the site of anti-aircraft training during World War II
. Many years later, the Army's aerial tramway
was first erected at Camp Wallace and later moved to Fort Eustis near the Reserve Fleet for further testing. The purpose of the tramway was to provide cargo movement from ship-to-shore, shore-to-ship, and overland. The tramway supplemented beach and pier operations, used unloading points deemed unusable due to inadequate or non-navigable waters, or to traverse land that was otherwise impassable.
in return for a larger parcel which is located directly across Skiffe's Creek
from Fort Eustis. Along with land previously owned by Colonial Williamsburg
, the former Camp Wallace land became part of a massive development. Nearby, the Busch Gardens Europe
theme park opened in 1975, as well as a large brewery, and the Kingsmill Resort
.
Past and ongoing current development of housing in Kingmill has included areas where problems may exist, although there is not a consensus on either the degree of problems or appropriate remediation.
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...
located near the unincorporated town of Grove
Grove, Virginia
Grove is an unincorporated community in the southeastern portion of James City County in the Peninsula subregion of Virginia in the United States. It is located in the center of the Historic Triangle of Colonial Virginia, communities linked by the Colonial Parkway; the area is one of the busiest...
in southeastern James City County
James City County, Virginia
James City County is a county located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. Its population was 67,009 , and it is often associated with Williamsburg, an independent city, and Jamestown which is within the...
in the Virginia Peninsula
Virginia Peninsula
The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay.Hampton Roads is the common name for the metropolitan area that surrounds the body of water of the same name...
portion of the Hampton Roads region of Virginia in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Camp Wallace served from 1918 to 1971 as satellite facility of the army base which became Fort Eustis. It was the first site of the Army's aerial tramway
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...
.
Camp Abraham Eustis
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Camp Abraham Eustis was established by the United States Army
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...
in Warwick County, Virginia
Warwick County, Virginia
Warwick County was a county in Southeast Virginia that was created from Warwick River Shire, one of eight created in the Virginia Colony in 1634. It became the City of Warwick on July 16, 1952...
in 1918. It encompassed historic Mulberry Island
Mulberry Island
Mulberry Island is located along the James River in the city of Newport News, Virginia, in southeastern Virginia at the confluence of the Warwick River on the Virginia Peninsula.- History:...
. In 1923, the Camp became Fort Eustis. The former Warwick County consolidated to become a part of the independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
of Newport News
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
in 1958. Fort Eustis, near the southwestern edge of the city just east of the Lee Hall
Lee Hall, Virginia
Lee Hall is a former unincorporated town long located in the former Warwick County. Since 1958, Lee Hall has been a suburban community in the extreme western portion of the independent city of Newport News in the Commonwealth of Virginia....
community, which remains as an important U.S. Army base in the 21st century.
An outpost upriver
A few miles upstream along the James RiverJames River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
from the Warwick River and Mulberry Island, a satellite facility, Camp Wallace, was established in 1918 as the Upper Firing Range of for artillery training. Consisting of 30 barracks, six storehouses, and eight mess halls, it was located on 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) on the edge of Grove
Grove, Virginia
Grove is an unincorporated community in the southeastern portion of James City County in the Peninsula subregion of Virginia in the United States. It is located in the center of the Historic Triangle of Colonial Virginia, communities linked by the Colonial Parkway; the area is one of the busiest...
, west of Carter's Grove Plantation
Carter's Grove
Carter's Grove, also known as Carter's Grove Plantation, is a 750 acre plantation located on the north shore of the James River in the Grove Community of southeastern James City County in the Virginia Peninsula area of the Hampton Roads region of Virginia in the US.The plantation was built for...
, south of U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 in Virginia
U.S. Route 60 in Virginia runs west to east through the central part of the state, generally close to and paralleling the Interstate 64 corridor, except for the crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and in the South Hampton Roads area....
, and east of the old Kingsmill Plantation
Kingsmill
Kingsmill is a name which has been used in James City County, Virginia since the mid-18th century. Initially the name of a plantation, in modern times, the name is attached to a geographic area which includes a large planned residential community, a resort complex, a theme park, a brewery, and a...
in nearby James City County
James City County, Virginia
James City County is a county located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. Its population was 67,009 , and it is often associated with Williamsburg, an independent city, and Jamestown which is within the...
.
Camp Wallace included some rugged terrain and bluffs overlooking the river. It was the site of anti-aircraft training 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...
. Many years later, the Army's aerial tramway
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...
was first erected at Camp Wallace and later moved to Fort Eustis near the Reserve Fleet for further testing. The purpose of the tramway was to provide cargo movement from ship-to-shore, shore-to-ship, and overland. The tramway supplemented beach and pier operations, used unloading points deemed unusable due to inadequate or non-navigable waters, or to traverse land that was otherwise impassable.
Conversions: a land swap
In 1971, the U.S. Army agreed to a land swap with Anheuser-BuschAnheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
in return for a larger parcel which is located directly across Skiffe's Creek
Skiffe's Creek
Skiffe's Creek is located in James City County and the independent city of Newport News in the Virginia Peninsula area of the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia in the United States...
from Fort Eustis. Along with land previously owned by Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg is the private foundation representing the historic district of the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. The district includes buildings dating from 1699 to 1780 which made colonial Virginia's capital. The capital straddled the boundary of the original shires of Virginia —...
, the former Camp Wallace land became part of a massive development. Nearby, the Busch Gardens Europe
Busch Gardens Europe
Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a 383 acre theme park located in James City County, Virginia about 3 miles southeast of Williamsburg, originally developed by Anheuser-Busch and currently owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of The Blackstone Group...
theme park opened in 1975, as well as a large brewery, and the Kingsmill Resort
Kingsmill
Kingsmill is a name which has been used in James City County, Virginia since the mid-18th century. Initially the name of a plantation, in modern times, the name is attached to a geographic area which includes a large planned residential community, a resort complex, a theme park, a brewery, and a...
.
Remnants of military use
In October 2009, the Virginia Gazette reported that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineersa study of possible remaining problems with ordnance ground pollution was posted in the Williamsburg Regional Library and two public hearings were scheduled. According to the news reports, "The Corps has deemed the hazards 'critical' and assigned a high rating of probable danger.Past and ongoing current development of housing in Kingmill has included areas where problems may exist, although there is not a consensus on either the degree of problems or appropriate remediation.
External links
- Fort Eustis Wheel the military-authorized newspaper
- Fort Eustis homepage - official site.