Camp Ford-Tyler, Texas

[stu613]

After last nights zoom presentation, I decided to make the 1.5-2 hour to Tyler and visit the Camp Ford grounds. For those who have never been here are a few pictures I took. And for those who could not remember, Camp Ford is on the NE side of Tyler on Hwy 271. the next to last one is the spring fed creek that ran thru the middle of Camp Ford.

And just to prove how small a world it is, while there, I saw a couple with whom i did some BGES tours this summer-and they only live about 3 blocks from me but we met again in Tyler today.

Hope you enjoy!

 

[Gary Morgan]

Thank you for sharing! If I had unlimited time and money, I'd love to go check out the site for myself. (This working for a living is sometimes overrated!)

Gary

 

[stu613]

Thank you for sharing! If I had unlimited time and money, I'd love to go check out the site for myself. (This working for a living is sometimes overrated!)

Gary

Yes, I confess, having retired in 2019, it has been a blast despite Covid. I have days where i literally spur of the moment get up and go somewhere, with this morning being a prime example. Beind divorced, doesnt hurt in that respect either.

 

[stu613]

that should read "being divorced" not "beind divorced". wish i could figure out how to edit once i post

 

[bdtex]

wish i could figure out how to edit once i post

Click on that arrow to the right of the "Report" link at the bottom of your post.

 

[UCVRelics]

After last nights zoom presentation, I decided to make the 1.5-2 hour to Tyler and visit the Camp Ford grounds. For those who have never been here are a few pictures I took. And for those who could not remember, Camp Ford is on the NE side of Tyler on Hwy 271. the next to last one is the spring fed creek that ran thru the middle of Camp Ford.

And just to prove how small a world it is, while there, I saw a couple with whom i did some BGES tours this summer-and they only live about 3 blocks from me but we met again in Tyler today.

Hope you enjoy!
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Great Stuff Thanks for taking us along.

 

[bdtex]

After last nights zoom presentation, I decided to make the 1.5-2 hour to Tyler and visit the Camp Ford grounds. For those who have never been here are a few pictures I took. And for those who could not remember, Camp Ford is on the NE side of Tyler on Hwy 271. the next to last one is the spring fed creek that ran thru the middle of Camp Ford.

And just to prove how small a world it is, while there, I saw a couple with whom i did some BGES tours this summer-and they only live about 3 blocks from me but we met again in Tyler today.

Hope you enjoy!
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If I had known you were going I would have suggested that you visit Oakwood Cemetery while there. I visited Camp Ford in January 2017 and really enjoyed it.

 

[Pollaco]

I have to confess even though it's here in Texas I never visited the site...yet.

 

[Pollaco]

I don't remember much about it but it was the largest Confederate POW camp west of the Mississippi.

 

[stu613]

If I had known you were going I would have suggested that you visit Oakwood Cemetery while there. I visited Camp Ford in January 2017 and really enjoyed it.

Last nite during the zoom, I had thought about going next week. But that all changed at 9:30 this morning, when I said "why not" and up I went!

 

[stu613]

Click on that arrow to the right of the "Report" link at the bottom of your post.

sometimes the arrow is there, sometimes an "edit" option is given but not always- may just be my computer connection

 

[J. D. Stevens]

Very good stu613. We went by Camp Ford after the 2021 Jefferson Symposium. Vicki Betts made a presentation about Camp Ford which made up our mind to drive over there. Well worth the visit. Outside the entrance is a kiosk which provides considerable information about the camp and those who were guests of the CSA. There are a lot of interpretive displays inside telling about various areas, buildings, and sections of the camp. One item of improvement would have been for the displays to have a small "you are here" map of the prison to help understand and orientate the reader a little better.

The display which impressed me the most was about the Camp Ford Spring inside the prison and how it helped with the low 6% mortality rate.

 

[stu613]

Very good stu613. We went by Camp Ford after the 2021 Jefferson Symposium. Vicki Betts made a presentation about Camp Ford which made up our mind to drive over there. Well worth the visit. Outside the entrance is a kiosk which provides considerable information about the camp and those who were guests of the CSA. There are a lot of interpretive displays inside telling about various areas, buildings, and sections of the camp. One item of improvement would have been for the displays to have a small "you are here" map of the prison to help understand and orientate the reader a little better.

The display which impressed me the most was about the Camp Ford Spring inside the prison and how it helped with the low 6% mortality rate.
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I was at that symposium and if I hadn't been meeting family in Marshall afterwards, might have checked it out then. All is goo though. And yes I found the bit about the spring interesting as well especially when you compare to the accounts of the stream at Andersonville

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

Thank you for taking us on this trip! I was very curious what Camp Ford looked like and didn't expect to see it this soon!

 

[Pollaco]

It would be easy to blame a contaminated water supply in other camps on the prisoners themselves. Afterall it was their behavior that did it but I won't.

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

Too bad Headache Springs doesn't have the same type of markings. That's where the Confederate Medical Lab was.

 

[stu613]

Too bad Headache Springs doesn't have the same type of markings. That's where the Confederate Medical Lab was.

Darn, another new place-now I am going to have to go back!

 

[Pollaco]

I've seen a photo of POWs posing at Camp Ford. They had hats on like the Texans but I think they were from Iowa.

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

Darn, another new place-now I am going to have to go back!

Please post any pics you might take.