Camp Edwards, Building T-1240, Bourne

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS MASS,1-BOUR.V,1-E-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Building is located approximately 100 feet due north of South Inner road in Block 12 within the south quarter of the Camp Edwards square cantonment, in Barnstable County, Bourne vicinity, Massachusetts.1 U.S.G.S. Special Map, series V814SCPEDWARDS, Zone 19, Universal Transverse Mercator Coordinates: Blocks): SW corner -370440E NW corner -370580E NE corner -370880E SE corner -370740E

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS MASS,1-BOUR.V,1-E-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Building is significant as a relatively unmodified representative of a 700 Series Officers' Mess.2 It represents one of thirteen 700 series Officers' Mess halls constructed as part of the original Camp Edwards cantonment and is one of 112 remaining World War II structures in the blocks of the cantonment. PARTI. HISTORICAL INFORMATION: A. Physical History: 1. Date of Erection: Construction of Building was begun at the same time as the entire Camp Edwards World War II cantonment. Construction at Camp Edwards began on September 12, and all essential facilities were completed by December 1, 2. Architect: Col. Charles D. Hartman, Quartermaster Corps, U.S.

Army (later Brigadier General) and his staff produced and revised the 700-series plans that were used in the construction of Building The Constructing Quartermasters at Camp Edwards during the construction of Building were Maj. Harold L. Algeo, (C.E. Res.), Sept. 11 to Nov. 12, Capt. Carl M. Patee Nov. 11 to Jan. 30, and Capt. Fred E. Robbins (Inf. Res.), Jan. 30, to completion.5 The plans were used and modified at Camp Edwards by the architectural- engineering firm of Charles T. Main Inc. of Boston, Massachusetts.6 CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (OFFICERS* MESS, 118 MAN) HABS NO. MA-1S^E (page 2) 3. Original and subsequent owners: In the Massachusetts State Legislature established the Massachusetts Military Reservation on Cape Cod as a training area for the National Guard.

The Department of the Army entered a 99-year lease with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and developed the camp into a division training area in In a portion of the camp was transferred to the Department of the Air Force for construction and maintenance of an airfield designated Otis Air Force Base. From Camp Edwards continued to function under the U.S. Army as a reserve training center under a permit from the U.S. Air Force. In base closures caused the Air Force to transfer Otis Air Force Base to the Massachusetts Air National Guard. The U.S. Coast Guard was issued a lease for portions of the installations, from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in In the U.S. Army licensed its area at Camp Edwards to the Massachusetts Army National Guard.

The World War II temporary structures under consideration in this report are presently under the control of the U.S. Army and the Massachusetts Army National Guard.7 4. Builder, contractor, suppliers: Building was part of Block 12 of the Camp Edwards cantonment. The Walsh Construction Company of Davenport, Iowa was the builder/contractor. The contracts for the principal construction areas were fixed fee. Cost estimates were prepared which itemized costs for each structures type complete with utilities and the contractors' fees.8 The War Department purchased the lumber used in Building using a bid system. The lumber was inspected independently by the Lumber Inspection Bureau Incorporated.

Concrete was purchased from the Crystal Concrete Company of Braintree, Massachusetts and the Lawrence Plant in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Test engineers were employed through the firm of Thompson and Litchfield Company of Boston.9 Information on individual suppliers of other materials was not available. These were probably purchased from subcontractors in the area. 5. Original Plans and Construction: Building was built from series plan number (Plans) and associated plan numbers (Elevations and Sections), (Miscellaneous Details), (Smoke Pipe and Heating Details), (Floor and Framing Plans), and (Miscellaneous Details). The original plan, Drawing used to construct Building is currently on file in the Facilities Engineers Office at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts.

The original cost of the building was estimated at Noted alterations to the original building plan at the time of construction include the use of 8"- round concrete piers instead of 8"-square foundation piers as specified in the 700 Series plans. CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (Officers' Mess - 118 MAN) HABS NO. MA-129$p(page 3) 6. Alterations and additions: AH kitchen equipment and the interior partition walls separating the dining and food preparation areas have been removed. The interior has been painted white with black trim, and the original roof ventilators have been removed. B. Historical Context: The construction of Building was part of a massive, nationwide mobilization program designed to build cantonments to house and train the expanded World War II Army.

The 700 Series, and the 800 Series that followed, was a comprehensive set of drawings which could be used interchangeably in creating the various building types. Through the construction of temporary wood-frame buildings such as the housing capacity of was increased to by the close of the mobilization program in the fall of Camp Edwards was the first of the mobilization camps constructed. The plans were so successful that fifty sets of duplicate prints were commissioned for use by other camp builders.11 In addition, war mobilization buildings are significant for their construction and technological innovation.

Techniques such as the standardization of plans, prefabrication of units and assembly-line approach to construction were largely developed in the construction of these mobilization structures. Building is a 700 Series Officers' Mess constructed in the main cantonment area of Camp Edwards mobilization cantonment built by the War Department in the fall and winter of Mobilization cantonments were constructed to house and serve as training bases for approximately men drafted for Army service after the declaration of war. The post was named in honor of Major General Clarence Edwards, World War I commander of the Infantry Division. The camp was leased by the Department of the Army in and developed into a division training area.

It was here that the famous "Yankee Division" Infantry was first assembled and trained for overseas duty in Europe and the South Pacific. When fully occupied, over people lived in the cantonment area. The main cantonment area was organized as a square with a total of twenty-nine regimental blocks for infantry and artillery regiments. Outside the main cantonment additional blocks were constructed for the hospital, logistics, quartermaster depots, "colored" infantry, and service commands. In its basically unaltered condition Building illustrates the setting in which the basic infantry unit lived and trained before transfer to the combat arena.

The large open bay area, the unfinished flooring and walls, and the purely functional heating, ventilation, and electrical systems all illustrate the utilitarian function of this structure made necessary by the massive nationwide mobilization effort. CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (Officers' Mess - 118 MAN) HABS NO. MA-t296=E (page 4) PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION: A. General Statement: 1, Architectural Character: Building is a relatively unaltered example of typical 700-series, Officers' Mess. Camp Edwards was a prototype for plans used nation-wide. Built according to standard War Department 700 Series plans, Camp Edwards was the first of the mobilization camps constructed. The plans were so successful that fifty sets of duplicate prints were commissioned for use by other camp builders.12 2.

Condition of Fabric: The general condition of Building is fair. The structural members are in good condition, and the flooring is serviceable. The exterior sheathing is not maintained and shows damage from weathering and high winds. The roof was recently shingled and appears in good condition. The flooring along the service line shows wear patterns from heavy traffic. The original exterior cream paint and gray trim are peeling. B. Description of the Exterior: 1. Overall Dimensions: Building is a rectangular shaped building with four entries. The main structure measures wide x long.33 2. Foundations: The main area of building rests on a system of round concrete piers with metal casings. The hearth in the kitchen rests on a concrete slab on grade.

The structure has copper termite shields between the foundation skirting and siding. 3. Walls: The exterior walls of Building consist of three layers: wooden sheathing, black construction paper, and wooden cove-base exterior siding, the standard system used throughout the cantonment. The exterior has wooden skirting covered with bituminous fabric. 4. Structural system, framing: Building and all 700-series mobilization structures at the cantonment are of light frame construction. The structure has a straight gable roof and aqua medias along the east and west elevations. The structure differs from Building primarily in door patterning, interior circulation patterns, the spacing of windows in the kitchen area, and a smaller concrete cooking surface. 5.

Porches, stoops: The original stoops at all entries have been replaced by concrete planks 11" wide x 4" thick by long. 6. Openings: a. Doorways and Doors: The design of all doors at Building is similar consisting of standard-design four lights over three recessed CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (Officers' Mess - 118 MAN) HABS NO. MA-1290-E (page 5) wooden panels. There are no interior doors in the structure. Three entries are present, two double door entries for personnel and supplies and a single door entry for the kitchen crew. b. Windows: On the west wail there are two, six-over-six light, double-hung sash windows. On the east (kitchen), there are three fixed, nine-light windows. On the north, there are eleven, six-over-six light, double-hung sash windows.

On the south, there are nine, six-over-six light, double- hung sash windows. 8. Roof: a. Shape, covering: Building is covered by a gabled roof with a slope of 5 to 12. Roofing materials consist of 3-tab asphalt roofing shingles with gray aggregate laid on 1" thick sheathing supported by 2" x 10" rafters at on center. C. Description of the Interior: 1. Floor Plans: a. Basement: The basement under Building consists of a crawl space. b. Main Floor: Building as constructed in had a gross area of square feet. The main floor consists of a single bay containing the main dining area, and food preparation areas separated by a partition wall. The flooring along the food preparation and washing areas and the food service line show wear patterns from heavy traffic. c.

Attic: The attic contains the roof trusses and served primarily to enhance ventilation. 2. Stairways: None. 3. Flooring: The flooring consists of tongue and groove wood. Approximately 5% of the flooring has been replaced. A concrete pad measuring 8' x 9' x 4" is present in the kitchen area. The pad has a 7 floor drain and a 9" square perforated cover. 4. Wall and ceiling finishes: The ceiling and walls are unfinished and painted white and black. In the kitchen area, there are 7" pine, tongue and groove boards behind the stove area. Approximately 10 percent of the original fiberboard finish is present in the kitchen area. 5. Openings: None; interior partitions have been removed. CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (Officers' Mess - 118 MAN) HABS NO. MA-r299 fi (page 6) 6.

Decorative Trim: Due to the austere nature of the construction there was no decorative trim. 7. Hardware: The original knob and lock sets are in the doors, and window dead-bolt locks are present. The doors have butterfly hinges with three screws in each plate. No special hardware was observed. 8. Mechanical Equipment: a. Heating: The structure was originally heated with two coal-fired stove in the serving area. Both have been removed. b. Kitchen appliances: All of the original appliances have been removed. c. Ventilation: The structure is vented through the attic through screened vents in the ceiling. Two screened wooden louvers at the front and rear elevations vent the attic space. New kitchen ventilation hoods and louvers were installed in all of the mess halls in d.

Lighting: The original pendulum luminaires with porcelain enameled, green and white reflectors are present throughout the structure. e. Plumbing: A floor drain in present in the kitchen area. The soil stack and drain from the slop sink are also present. D. Site: 1. General Setting and orientation: Building and the other buildings of Block 12 are located within the south quarter of the Camp Edwards square cantonment area. The building is located within a complex also containing additional barracks, day rooms, mess halls and administrative structures. 2. Historical Landscape Design: Asphalt walkways cover a rectilinear path around the structure. The remainder of the building lot is relatively flat and planted in grasses.

A sloped concrete pad and exterior faucet is located along the north elevation and was probably used as a washing area for trash cans. PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION: A. Architectural Drawings: Building was built from 700 Series plan number and supplemented with associated plan numbers (Elevations and Sections), (Miscellaneous Details), (Smoke Pipe and Heating Details), (Floor and Framing Plans), and (Miscellaneous Details). The original plan (Drawing used to construct Building is currently on file in the Facilities Engineers Office at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. Duplicates of the 700 Series plans for CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (Officers' Mess - 118 MAN) HABS NO.

MA-*290=E (page 7) Officers' Mess halls are currently on file at the United States Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (USACERL). B. Early Views: No construction photographs of Building were located. Historical photographic view of Camp Edwards including construction photographs were located at the Office of History, Fort Belvoir, VA. C.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS MASS,1-BOUR.V,1-E-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

1. Primary and unpublished sources: Standard Mobilization Drawings 700-series Plan number and Real Property Records. Building and Structures, Facilities Engineers Building, Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. Base Layout Plan, Otis Air National Guard, Camp Edwards, U.S. Coast Guard, Scale revised January Camp Edwards Facilities Engineers Office. Report on the Activities of the Construction Division. War Department, Office of the Quartermaster General, Construction Division, July 1, to November 1, Manuscript on file Office of the Corps of Engineers, Engineer Historical Division, Fort Belvoir, Va. Architect-Engineer's Report on Camp Edwards, Falmouth, Massachusetts. June 4, Charles T. Main Inc. Engineers. Manuscript on file, Facilities Engineers Building, Camp Edwards, Massachusetts.

Camp Edwards Military Reservation, Bourne, Massachusetts. Master Plan, January Revised February Massachusetts Army National Guard, Directorate of Facilities Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts. Camp Edwards, Falmouth Massachusetts, Walsh Construction Co., General Contractors. Estimated Cost As of September 5, For 63-Man Barracks - With Lavatory Drawing No. p. 8. from Construction Costs Report, on file Facilities Engineers Building Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. Letter dated August 13, from Aronberg of the Walsh Construction Company to Mr. August G. Sperl concerning a review of Lenore Fine and Jesse A. Remington's, The Corps of Engineers: Construction in the United States. United States Army in World War II, The Technical Services. Center of Military History.

Office of the Chief of Military History, United States Army, Washington, "New Ventilation Units for Edwards Kitchens". Camp Edwards Digest - Friday May 29, col 1. Vol.2, No. 5. CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING T-I240 (Officers' Mess - 118 MAN) HABS NO. MA-1390-E (page 8) 2. Secondary and Published sources: Lenoir Fine and Jesse Remington. The Corps of Engineers: Construction in the United States. United States Army in World War II, The Technical Services. Center of Military History. Office of the Chief of Military History, United States Army, Washington, K. Alan Snyder, A Guide to Archival Sources for the Study of World War II Temporary Buildings. Office of the Corps of Engineers, History Division, Washington, Diane Wasch and Perry Bush.

"The Historical Context of World War II Mobilization Construction." Unpublished paper. National Park Service Historic American Buildings Survey, Washington, DC, D. Likely Sources Not Investigated: 1. Documentary: Additional information on the firms of Charles T. Main (architect engineers) and the Walsh Construction Company (contractors) may be available. Additional data may be available in the National Archives on Col. Charles D. Hartman (Later Brigadier General) and his staff who produced and revised the 700 Series Standard Drawings. 2. Oral History: Interviews could be conducted with personnel involved in the construction at Camp Edwards and the military records and local area could be searched for civilian and military personnel who may have worked at the installation.

Prepared by: Keith Landreth, Richard Hayes, Daniel R. Lapp, James Bowman, and Steve Turner United States Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory August PART IV. PROJECT INFORMATION: The documentation of Camp Edwards, Massachusetts, was undertaken as mitigation documentation by the United States Army, Civil Engineering Research Laboratory (USA-CERL), Champaign, Illinois. The documentation was done to the standards of the Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record (HABS/HAER), Robert J. Kapsch, Chief, the National Park Service. The research was underaken by Keith Landreth, Daniel R. Lapp, James Bowman, and Steve Turner of USA-CERL on site at Camp Edwards during the summer of The large-format photography was done by Martin Stupich.

CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (Officers' Mess - 118 MAN) HABS NO. MA-J290-E (page 9) NOTES: 1. Base Layout Plan, Otis Air National Guard, Camp Edwards, U.S. Coast Guard, Scale revised January Camp Edwards Facilities Engineers Office. 2. Camp Edwards, Falmouth Massachusetts, Walsh Construction Co., General Contractors. Estimated Cost As Of September 5, For Officers Mess Drawing No. p. 35. from Construction Costs Report, on file Facilities Engineers Building, Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. 3. Report on the Activities of the Construction Division. War Department, Office of the Quartermaster General, Construction Division, July 1, to November 1, Manuscript on file Office of the Corps of Engineers, Engineer Historical Division, Fort Belvoir, VA. 4. Lenore Fine and Jesse Remington.

The Corps of Engineers: Construction in the United Slates. United States Army in World War II, The Technical Services. Center of Military History. Office of the Chief of Military History, United States Army, Washington, pg. 69. 5. Architect-Engineer's Report on Camp Edwards, Falmouth, Massachusetts. June4, CharlesT. Main Inc. Engineers, p. 7. Manuscript on file, Facilities Engineers Building, Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. 6. Report on the Activities of the Construction Division. War Department, Office of the Quartermaster General, Construction Division, July 1, to November 1, Manuscript on file Office of the Corps of Engineers, Engineer Historical Division, Fort Belvoir, VA. 7. Camp Edwards Military Reservation, Bourne, Massachusetts.

Master Plan, January Revised February Massachusetts Army National Guard, Directorate of Facilities Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts. 8. Architect-Engineer's Report on Camp Edwards, Falmouth, Massachusetts. June 4, CharlesT. Main Inc. Engineers, p. 6. Manuscript on file, Facilities Engineers Building, Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. 9. Architect-Engineer's Report on Camp Edwards, Falmouth, Massachusetts. June 4, Charles T. Main Inc. Engineers. Manuscript on file, Facilities Engineers Building, Camp Edwards, Massachusetts, and 90. 10. Camp Edwards, Falmouth Massachusetts, Walsh Construction Co., General Contractors. Estimated Cost As Of September 5, For Officers Mess Man Drawing No. from Construction Costs Report, on file facilities Engineers Building Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. 11.

Letter dated August 13, from Aronbergofthe Walsh Construction Company to Mr. August G. Sperl concerning a review of Lenore Fine and Jesse A. Remington's, The Corps of Engineers: Construction in the United States. United States Army in World War II, The Technical Services. Center of Military History. Office of the Chief of Military History, United States Army, Washington, 12. Letter dated August 13, from Aronbergofthe Walsh Construction Company to Mr. August G. Sperl concerning a review of Lenore Fine and Jesse A. Remington's, The Corps of Engineers: Construction in the United States [volume in the series, United States Army in World War II: The Technical Services] (Washington, Office of the Chief of Military History, United States Army). 13. From "Standard-700 Series Drawing 14.

"New Ventilation Units for Edwards Kitchens". Camp Edwards Digest - Friday May 29, col 1. Vol.2, No. 5.