McMillan Woods

McMillan Woods
Woods
Name origin: O. D. McMillan[1]:'94
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Adams
NPS unit Gettysburg National Military Park
Landform Warfield Ridge
Location "McMillan Woods" marker
Biome Northern Piedmont ecoregion
Geology Gettysburg-Newark Lowlands, Rossville Diabase dike[2] (50 feet thick)
GNIS ID 1180785 [3]

McMillan Woods is a Gettysburg Battlefield forested area used during the Battle of Gettysburg and for camps after the American Civil War, including a CCC camp and the subsequent WWII POW camp at Gettysburg. The woods includes Rifle Pits and Earth Works from the battle[4]

The cast iron site identification tablet for the woods was placed in 1920,[4] and the woods is the site of a youth campground.

History

Chronology
Date Event
1906-07-16 Camp Henderson of the PA National Guard used 95 acres (0.38 km2) in McMillan Woods and the Trostle, Klingel, Sherfy, McPherson, and Codori farms for the encampment through July 16. Maneuvers were conducted from Zeigler's Grove to Devil's Den. (the joint maneuver camp followed at Mount Gretna's Camp Roosevelt.)[5]
1906-07-16 Camp Henderson of the PA National Guard used 95 acres (0.38 km2) in McMillan Woods and the Trostle, Klingel, Sherfy, McPherson, and Codori farms for the encampment through July 16. Maneuvers were conducted from Zeigler's Grove to Devil's Den. (the joint maneuver camp followed at Mount Gretna's Camp Roosevelt.)[5]
1934-02-03 CCC camp NP-2 had opened in McMillan Woods[6] (Charles Heilman was the 1936 commander).
1942-03 The McMillan Woods CCC camp was to be abandoned after becoming the 1st under an "all colored staff" in 1939.
1944-11-15 POWs moved to the former McMillan Woods CCC camp converted to the Gettysburg WWII POW Camp to replace the stockade.[7]
1949-08-09 The site of the former POW camp was used for the camporee of the Black Walnut Boy Scout district.
1966 Boy Scout summer camps formerly held at Pardee Field began at McMillan Woods.
1989 Improvements were completed at the McMillan Woods Youth Campground for hosting 5500 campers each year.

References

  1. Gettysburg National Military Park Commission. "An Introduction to the Annual Reports of the Gettysburg National Military Park Commission to the Secretary of War". The Gettysburg Commission Reports. Gettysburg, PA: War Department.
  2. "Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site: Geologic Resources Inventory Report" (pdf). Denver, Colorado: National Park Service: Natural Resource Program Center. 2009. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
  3. "McMillan Woods (1180785)". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
  4. 1 2 Cope, Emmor, "McMillan Woods Rifle Pits (Structure number MD15, LCS ID 006988) & Earthworks (Structure number MD16)" (NPS.gov webpage), List of Classified Structures: GETT p. 36, United States Department of War marker, retrieved , 6 shallow dish-shaped depressions in ground. 2' deep, 7'11" diameter. Overgrown & filled w/ decomposed leaves. Located ca 20' form E edge of McMillan Woods, 60' from West Confederate Ave. Check date values in: |access-date= (help); External link in |work= (help)
  5. 1 2 "An Imaginary Battle Fought at Gettysburg" (Google News Archive). Reading Eagle. July 25, 1906. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  6. "Camp Information for NP-2-PA". Pennsylvania CCC Archive. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  7. "Out of the Past: 50 Years Ago". June 29, 1995. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
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