A Legacy of Living History
“Camp Forrest extends a sincere welcome to you – wherever you might be from – for whatever your length of stay might be.” These words are from the welcome booklet distributed to troops as they arrived at the middle Tennessee military installation. Eight decades later these words still ring true, and we appreciate you visiting and learning with us about this remarkable World War II military reservation.
Our mission is to ensure guests realize World War II is more than a series of events, facts, figures, and documentaries. As a career educator our Executive Director, Dr. Elizabeth Taylor, has devised an interactive environment that also includes a dose of motivation and empowerment. A fundamental aspect of this site is understanding change and how individuals during this era adapted to it on a global scale. Our site focuses specifically on the Middle Tennessee region in which Camp Forrest was located.
Life Amid Local and Global Change
Many Americans were aware of the acts wielded by the numerous zealot leaders throughout Europe and Asia during the 1930s. The memories of World War I were still fresh in citizens’ minds, which caused most to oppose helping our Allies. However, many state and national leaders feared America’s participation in a second world war was imminent. Many states foresaw these inevitable political changes and began preparing for the eventuality of war. In Tennessee, Governor Prentice Cooper understood the dire consequences of unpreparedness and began implementing programs throughout the state. In Middle Tennessee, civilian life dramatically changed almost overnight with the announcement of the construction of the 83,000-acre military installation, Camp Forrest. In 1942, as troops began arriving from throughout the United States, long held cultural beliefs and stereotypes about specific regions in the U.S. began to change. Civilians’ daily lives changed amid the rationing of numerous everyday items, such as sugar, shoes, stockings, gasoline, and tires. With the arrival of prisoners of war from the European front, steadfast beliefs about the enemy began to change. With change in mind our goal is to help visitors learn about Camp Forrest’s impact and the legacies left behind.
If you have any information on Camp Forrest, William Northern Army Airfield, Tullahoma, the Middle Tennessee region or the Tennessee Maneuvers, we would love to hear from you. We are interested in hearing from you whether your information is in the form of
• Articles • Artwork • Photographs • Memories & Family Stories
We are continually adding new items to our site, so join our mailing list so we can keep in touch.
We are continually adding new items to our site, so join our mailing list so we can keep in touch.