Camp Wilderness MP4
View of the camp from the entrance. Source: (https://www.arscse.org/qCCCVA.htm) © All Rights Reserved Nov. 1934
Description
MP4 Camp Wilderness was one of 4 CCC camps in the Fredericksburg area set up to develop locations of major Civil War battles, Camp Bloody Angle (MP-1) was at the battle of Spotsylvania Court House, Camp Wilderness (MP-4) was at the Battle of the Wilderness, and Camp Chancellorsville (MP-3) was at the Battle of Chancellorsville. One camp was on private property centered between the other three. It was Camp Malcomb McArthur (P-69) along Catharpin Road. The Wilderness camp was established Oct 14, 1933 and was abandoned Apr 3, 1941. First, it was home to the boys of Company 282. On July 23, 1935, they moved out and Company 2353 moved in. On May 27, 1936, that company moved out and Company 5434 moved in. On Oct 11, 1937, that company moved out and Company 333 moved in (Company 333 was African-American). The last company to occupy the Wilderness camp was Company 2329. They arrived Dec 1940 and moved to Chancellorsville Apr 3, 1941. Chancellorsville closed Mar 1942. (ARSCE)
According to a Fresno California District CCC yearbook, Company 5434 was organized at Fort Bragg NC May 1936, arriving at MP4 May 27. “The Wilderness Camp is located in the most historical section of Virginia, and the work done included many interesting projects on the Wilderness Battlefield, where occurred one of the most bitter conflicts during the War Between the States. The rebuilding of gun pits and trenches, the preserving of the many historical sites were interesting tasks wand were accomplished by such projects as foot trail building, landscaping, tree surgery and transplanting.”
Other tasks accomplished by other Companies included rebuilding the stone wall along the road where confederate infantry fought during the battle of Fredericksburg in December of 1862. They built stone bridges including a large one on Hill Ewell Drive at the Wilderness. The boys built the visitor center in Fredericksburg. (ARSCE)
The shop at CCC camp MP-4 (later renamed NP-24) remains in the Wilderness as a storage building for the park service. In addition, a concrete sign that used to be at the entrance to the camp is still visible in the ground.
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Camp Wilderness MP4 Utility shed. The only remaining building of the CCC. Used for storage by the Park Service.
Camp Wilderness MP4 Utility shed
Camp Wilderness MP4 Utility shed. The only remaining building of the CCC. Used for storage by the Park Service.
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The utility building is in the upper left and the remains of the camp entrance and sign in the bottom right.
Modern view of Camp Wilderness
The utility building is in the upper left and the remains of the camp entrance and sign in the bottom right.
Source notes
https://www.arscse.org/qCCCVA.htm
Fresno District CCC 9th Corps Area 1938 Yearbook.
Project originally submitted by Andrew Laverdiere on May 13, 2019.
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