Camp Atterbury
Prisoner of War Internment Camp
(North)
Each building number is in the 30,000 series
example - Guard Tower marked as "145" is actually "30145" |
North
 |
| Each left - right row of buildings were divided in
two compounds, for a total of 12 Compounds. The POW Chapel is the
only remaining structure. Most of the cement slabs are still in
place. The Indianapolis Italian Society with the Indiana Army
National Guard (Camp Atterbury) hosts a large pitch-in picnic at the
Chapel each August. The former POW Cemetery (all POW graves were
moved) is approximately one mile South. |
Looking East from Guard Tower #30146 |
|
Each Guard Tower in the Camp Atterbury
Prisoner of War Compound was constructed of concrete and six-sided.
Elevated approximately 20 feet into the air, either on wooden or
concrete piers. Following the de-activation of the camp, and
sometime in the 1950's, Four of the Guard Towers were purchased by the
Grandfather of the present owners of the "Pines" restaurant in Seymour,
Indiana.
Transported on flatbed trucks at night to
avoid tying up traffic, the structures were placed adjacent to each
other and used as the restaurant. In the below photos, the four
structures can clearly be seen. |
1950's |
1950's |
1950's among the Pine Trees |
Metal building built around the four structures, and as
"The Pines" appears 2000. |
My father
was in high school (senior year) when the restaurant was
put together. My Grand father passed away when I was 6
and my father 7 years ago. My mother is still living but
doesn't know of the story of the actual move. The only
thing I remember my father saying about the move was at
least part of it was done at night, without permits. Dad
said something about damaging a small bridge getting the
structure through.
My
uncle (deceased) got my grandfather into the
earthmoving/strip mining business. They used one of
my grandfathers low-boys to move the structures.
I have
no idea of what was paid for the structures.
I do
know this. During the war my family operated an
apple orchard, The Hall Orchard Company. I heard
stories about my grandfather getting German POW's
from Camp Atterbury to work in the Orchard picking
apples. I would suppose my grandfather's connection
to the POW Camp at Camp Atterbury was how he came to
acquire the guard houses.
When
my father passed he was the sole survivor of his
immediate family. Unfortunately, anyone with any
knowledge of acquiring the guard houses and moving
them has long since passed away.
|
|
Jim West
When I was about 5-6 years
old, my family and I lived on Carr Hill Road in Bartholomew County.
Today this is south of the Sam's Club on SR 46.
I barley remember a nice man
giving me a tiny all-white puppy over the fence separating our house
from the farmer's field. I never thought much about it other than
the puppy became "Susie" and was my dog until she died many years later.
Mother named her "Susie Merau Q Esquire"!
Today, I know that nice man
was actually a German Prisoner of War from Camp Atterbury, working in
the farmer's field. Wish I knew his name.
Found photo of Camp Atterbury German POWs with an
all-white dog.
Grandma, myself and Susie
22nd & Central in Columbus Indiana about 1950+/- |
|
Building Usage
| 30001 Guard - Administration |
| 30002 Guard - Mess Hall |
| 30003 Guard - Administration |
| 30004 Guard - Mess Hall |
| 30005 Guard - Mess Hall |
| 30006 Guard - Administration |
| 30007 Guard - Insulated Warehouse |
| 30008 Barracks |
| 30009 Barracks |
| 30010 Barracks |
| 30011 Barracks |
| 30012 Barracks |
| 30013 Barracks |
| 30014 Barracks |
| 30015 Barracks |
| 30016 Barracks |
| 30017 Barracks |
| 30018 Barracks |
| 30019 Barracks |
| 30020
Administration |
| 30021
Administration |
| 30022 Officer's Quarters |
| 30023 Officer's Quarters |
| 30024 Lavatory |
| 30025 |
| 30026 |
| 30027 Recreation |
| 30028 |
| 30029 Recreation |
| 30030 Barracks |
| 30031 Barracks |
| 30032 Barracks |
| 30033 Barracks |
| 30034 Lavatory |
| 30035 Barracks |
| 30036 Admin |
| 30037 Mess Hall |
| 30038 Mess Hall |
| 30039 Admin |
| 30040 Barracks |
| 30041 Lavatory |
| 30042 Barracks |
| 30043 Barracks |
| 30044 Barracks |
| 30045 Barracks |
| 30046 Barracks |
| 30047 Barracks |
| 30048 Barracks |
| 30049 Barracks |
| 30050 Lavatory |
| 30051 Barracks |
| 30052 Administration |
| 30053 Mess Hall |
| 30054 Mess Hall |
| 30055 Administration |
| 30056 Barracks |
| 30057 Lavatory |
| 30058 Lavatory |
| 30059 Lavatory |
| 30060 Lavatory |
| 30061 Lavatory |
| 30062 Barracks |
| 30063 PX |
| 30064 Shop |
| 30065 |
| 30066 |
| 30067 Recreation |
| 30068 Barracks |
| 30069 Barracks |
| 30070 Barracks |
| 30071 Lavatory |
| 30072 Barracks |
| 30073 Administration |
| 30074 Mess hall |
| 30075 Mess hall |
| 30076 Administration |
| 30077 Barracks |
| 30078 Lavatory |
| 30079 Barracks |
| 30080 Barracks |
| 30081 Barracks |
| 30082 Barracks |
| 30083 Barracks |
| 30084 Barracks |
| 30085 Barracks |
| 30086 Barracks |
| 30087 Lavatory |
| 30088 Barracks |
| 30089 Administration |
| 30090 Mess Hall |
| 30091 Mess Hall |
| 30092 Administration |
| 30093 Barracks |
| 30094 Lavatory |
| 30095 Barracks |
| 30096 Barracks |
| 30097 Lavatory |
| 30098 Barracks |
| 30099 Barracks |
| 30100 PX |
| 30101 Infirmary POW |
| 30102 |
| 30103 Recreation |
| 30104 Barracks |
| 30105 Lavatory |
| 30106 Barracks |
| 30107 Barracks |
| 30108 Barracks |
| 30109 Lavatory |
| 30110 Barracks |
| 30111 Administration |
| 30112 Mess Hall |
| 30113 Mess Hall |
| 30114 Administration |
| 30115 Barracks |
| 30116 Lavatory |
| 30117 Barracks |
| 30118 Barracks |
| 30119 Barracks |
| 30120 Barracks |
| 30121 Barracks |
| 30122 Barracks |
| 30123 Barracks |
| 30124 Barracks |
| 30125 Lavatory |
| 30126 Barracks |
| 30127 Administration |
| 30128 Mess Hall |
| 30129 Mess Hall |
| 30130 Administration |
| 30131 Barracks |
| 30132 Lavatory |
| 30133 Barracks |
| 30134 Barracks |
| 30134 Barracks |
| 30135 Barracks |
| 30137 Barracks |
| 30138 Infirmary |
| 30139 Guard Tower |
| 30140 Guard Tower |
| 30141 Guard Tower |
| 30142 Guard Tower |
| 30143 Guard Tower |
| 30144 Guard Tower |
| 30145 Guard Tower |
| 30146 Guard Tower |
|
|
|
Source: Guard Tower Story - Mike & Katie
Hall, Owners "The Pines", 04/2012 |
|
 Page last revised
09/03/2022
James D. West
www.IndianaMilitary.org
imo.jimwest@gmail.com
|