Camp Edwards, Building T-1267, Bourne

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

Building is located approximately due south of Beaman 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, Blocks) Zone 19, Universal Transverse Mercator Coordinates: 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-G-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Building is significant as a relatively unmodified representative of a series Day Room.2 It represents one of 177 700-series A-5 Day Rooms 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. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION: A. Physical History: Date of Erection: Construction of Building was begun at the same time as the entire Camp Edwards World War II cantonment, on September 12, and all essential facilities were completed by December I, Architect: Col. Charles D. Hartman (later Brigadier General), Quartermaster Corps, U.S.

Army, supervised the production and revision of 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 die architectural-engineering firm of Charles T. Main Inc. of Boston, Massachusetts.6 CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (DAY ROOM) HABS NO. MA-139&-G (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 presendy 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 structure type, complete with utilities and the contractors' fees.8 The War Department purchased the lumber used in Building 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 700-series plan number and associated plans. The original drawing used to construct Building is currently on file in the Facilities Engineers Office at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts.10 The original cost of the building was estimated at No alterations to the original building plan were noted at the time of construction. 6.

Alterations and additions: The original wooden stoop has been replaced with concrete planks and the piping from the furnace room to the chimney has been removed. B. Historical Context: The construction of Building was part of a massive, nation-wide 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 CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (DAY ROOM) HABS NO. MA-I290-G (page 3) drawings which could be used interchangeably in creating the various building types.

Through the construction of temporary wood-frame buildings such as T-I242, the housing capacity of was increased to by the close of the mobilization program in the fail 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.12 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 Day Room constructed in the main cantonment area of Camp Edwards, 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, WWI 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" of the Infantry was first assembled and trained for overseas duty in Europe and the South Pacific.

When fully occupied, over people lived in the main cantonment area which was organized as a square with a total of twenty-nine regimental blocks for the infantry and artillery. Outside the main cantonment additional blocks were constructed for the hospital, logistics, quartermaster depots, "colored" infantry, and service commands. In its unaltered condition, Building illustrates the setting in which the basic infantry unit lived and trained before being transferred to the combat arena. The original, 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 which was made necessary by the massive nation-wide mobilization effort. PART II.

ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION: A. General Statement: 1. Architectural Character: Building is a relatively unaltered example of typical 700-series, Day Room. The structure was built according to standard War Department plans and is, therefore, an example of World War II mobilization construction, used nation-wide. Camp Edwards was the first mobilization camp constructed. The plans which were revised on site by the arhcitect/engineers were so successful that fifty sets of duplicate prints were commissioned for use by other camp builders.13 2. Condition of Fabric: The general condition of Building is good. The structural members are in good condition, the flooring is serviceable, the exterior CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (DAY ROOM) HABS NO.

MA-129e=t3 (page 4) sheathing is not maintained and shows rot and damage from the weather. The roof was recently shingled and appears in good condition. The original exterior cream- colored paint and gray trim are peeling. The windows have been broken in the front door and the hole has been covered with particle board. B. Description of the Exterior: 1. Overall Dimensions: Building is a rectangular-shaped building with two entries. The main structure measures wide x long.14 2. Foundations: Building rests on a system of 8"-round concrete piers along the perimeter of the building, with secondary piers underneath the building. Ail piers have the original stove-pipe casings. The structure has copper termite shields between the foundation skirting and the siding. 3.

Walls: The exterior walls of Building consist of three layers: wooden sheathing, black construction paper, and interlocking wooden lap siding, the standard system used throughout the cantonment. There is wooden skirting covered with bituminous fabric. 4. Structural System, framing: Building is of frame, platform construction consisting of 2" x 8" floor joists, 16" on-center. 5. Porches, stoops: The original stoops, located at all entries, have been replaced by concrete planks, 11" wide x 4" thick x long. 6. Chimneys: The original chimney and metal stack remain in place. The brickwork is laid in American bond The piping from the furnace room to the chimney has been removed. 7. Openings: a.

Doorways and Doors: The design of all original exterior wooden doors on Building is similar, consisting of four lights over three recessed panels. There are two entry doors to the structure, one on the west (main entry), and one on the south. A double-door entry to the furnace room is presently located to the north. b. Windows: On the east wall there are two eight-over-eight-light, double- hung sash windows. On the north wall are six six-over-six-light, double- hung sash windows (two are paired). On the south, there are seven, six- over-six-light, double-hung sash windows (two are paired). There are no windows on the west. Four of the windows have the original screens in place. On the interior, locks have been installed to the side of the windows. CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (DAY ROOM) HABS NO.

MA-1200-G (page 5) I 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 shingles with gray aggregate laid on l"-thick sheathing supported by 2" x 8" rafters, 2'- 0" 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 total area of square feet. The main area consisted of a single room containing the recreation area. Two semi-private offices with a pass-through door between comprise the east third of the structure. c. Attic: The attic contains the roof trusses and served primarily to enhance ventilation. The ceiling is covered with fiber board. The attic area is accessed by a scuttle hatch.

2. Stairways: None, 3. Flooring: The flooring has been covered with 3-feet wide, brown sheet-linoleum. No areas of the original flooring are currently visible. 4. Wall and Ceiling finishes: The ceiling and walls are unfinished, with exposed diagonal sheathing to a height of Fiber board is used to finish the wall. The interior is painted white with gray trim. The original fiber-board finish is present along the exterior walls and the ceiling. Tongue-and-groove boards are nailed to studs around the interior walls facing the furnace room. 5. Openings: a. Doorways and Doors: There are three original five-panel doors, leading to the (two) office areas. The original three-panel screen door is present at the south entry. b. Windows: There is no decorative window trim. 6.

Decorative Trim: Due to the austere nature of the construction, no decorative trim was used. 7. Hardware: The original knob and lock sets in some of the doors, and the window dead-bolt locks, are present. The window bolts have corresponding drill holes set CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (DAY ROOM) HABS NO. MA-K9e*6-(page 6) in the sill at intervals which also served to adjust the window height. The doors have butt hinges. Mechanical Equipment: a. Heating: The original coal-fired furnace has been disconnected. Central heating is currently supplied through a ceiling duct and registers placed along the structure's center, with openings into each office space. b. Ventilation: The structure is vented through ceiling ducts placed along the center of the interior.

The original return air vent is present in the ceiling. Three metal roof-top ventilators are located in the attic. The roof-top vents are controlled by pull-chains with finger rings. c. Lighting: There are nine, globe luminaires inside, and a single, exterior light over the entry. The original green and white porcelain-enameled reflector is present in the boiler room. D. Site: 1. General Setting and orientation: Building and the other buildings of Block 12, are located within the south quarter of the square cantonment. The building is located within a complex which also contains additional barracks, day rooms, mess halls and administrative structures.15 2. Historical Landscape Design: The site has asphalt walkways and roadways which served as access for pedestrians and motorized traffic.

The remainder of the building lot is relatively flat and planted in grasses. PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION: A. Architectural Drawings: Building was built from 700-series plan, number The original 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 Day Rooms Type A-5 are currently on file at the United States Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (USA-CERL). B. Early Views: No construction photographs of Building were located. General camp 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-G-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

1. Primary and unpublished sources: a. Standard Mobilization Drawings 700-series Plan number CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (DAY ROOM) HABS NO. MA-1290-G (page 7) b. Real Properly Records. Building and Structures, Facilities Engineers Building, Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. c. Base Layout Plan, Otis Air National Guard, Camp Edwards, U.S. Coast Guard, Scale revised January Camp Edwards Facilities Engineers Office. d. Report on the Activities of the Construction Division. War Department, Office of the Quartermaster General, Construction Division, July 1, to November 1, pp. (Manuscript on file Office of the Corps of Engineers, Engineer Historical Division, FortBelvoir, Virginia). e. 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). f. Camp Edwards Military Reservation, Bourne, Massachusetts. Master Plan, January Revised February Massachusetts Army National Guard, Directorate of Facilities Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts. g. Camp Edwards, Falmouth Massachusetts, Walsh Construction Co., General Contractors. Estimated Cost As Of September 5, For Day Rooms, Drawing No. p. from Construction Costs Report, on file Facilities Engineers Building, Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. h. 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, 2. Secondary and Published sources: Lenore 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.

Draft Document, National Park Service Historic American Buildings Survey, Washington, DC, CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (DAY ROOM) HABS NO. MA-1290-G (page 8) E. 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 also be available in the National Archives on Col. Charles D. Hartman 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, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (USACERL), 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 USACERL on site at Camp Edwards during the summer of The large-format photography was done by Martin Stupich. 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 Recreation Building Type A-5 Drawing No. p. 14, 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. CAMP EDWARDS, BUILDING (DAY ROOM) HABS NO. MA-1390-G (page 9) 4. 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, pg. 69. 5. Architect-Engineer's Report on Camp Edwards, Falmouth, Massachusetts. June 4, Charles T. 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, pg. 6. Charles T. Main Inc. Engineers. 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 Real Property records on file facilities Engineers building, Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. 11. Camp Edwards, Falmouth Massachusetts, Walsh Construction Co., General Contractors. Estimated Cost As Of September 5, For Day Room Type A-5 Drawing No.

From Construction Costs Report, on file Facilities Engineers Building, Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. 12. 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, 13. 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, 14. From "Standard 700 Series Drawing Verified during field inspection. 15. Base Layout Plan, Otis Air National Guard, Camp Edwards, U.S. Coast Guard, Scale revised January Camp Edwards Facilities Engineers Office.