Camp Grant, Rockford, Illinois in World War I and World War II

Title

Camp Grant, Rockford, Illinois in World War I and World War II

Description

A collection of postcard views and photographs of Camp Grant. In April 1917 the United States entered the first World War. Immediately the federal government began planning for a dozen new military training camps. In Rockford, Illinois the Chamber of Commerce led a campaign to win a camp for the community.

In June 1917 the War Department agreed to locate an army training camp—Camp Grant-- in Rockford. Camp Grant was located south of Rockford where the Rockford International Airport now sits. Construction was speedy and significant. In three months 1100 buildings went up. By September 1917 the camp was open and receiving thousands of recruits.

With thousands of men residing at the camp throughout the war, Camp Grant improved Rockford’s economy, raised business profits and led to growth of the area overall. The camp would go on to be used during World War II as well but was decommissioned in the years following.

Date

1917-1950

Collection Items

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. The Masons marching led by Uncle Sam with a woman at left carrying what appears to be Great Britain's flag and a…

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. A float with a coffin and a sign over it, "At ….. Rest - ! IN -- HELL".

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. A float with an Effigy of a German soldier hanging and a sign that reads " "Hell's New Ruler".

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Three men on horseback leading marching soldiers with rifles.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Two men in an automobile with an Effigy of a Kaiser in the back seat.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. A marching band playing brass instruments.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Women marching, followed by men in civilian clothing.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Marching band with brass instruments.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Marching band of soldiers in uniform.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Women carrying American flags, riding on top of a horse pulled coach.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Nurses carrying American flags.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. A young boy and girl carrying American flags.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Five soldiers on horseback.

Soldiers Marching in the Peace Parade
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Soldiers with rifles marching.

Peace Parade First Aid Wagon
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. A soldier is marching near a First Aid wagon pulled by four mules.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Three soldiers marching carrying axes resting on their right shoulders. They are followed by two Masons and a sailor.…

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Two men on horseback are in the foreground.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. A man wearing a loose fitting costume is in the foreground.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. The group of nurses is following the Scottish pipers.

Soldiers Marching in Peace Parade
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Soldiers marching.

Scottish Pipers in Peace Parade
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Scottish pipers marching.

Soldiers Marching in  World War I Peace Parade
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Soldiers marching. Two soldiers at the front are riding horses.

World War I Nurses in Peace Parade
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Nurses carrying the American flag.

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Soldiers marching.

World War I Nurses in Peace Parade
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Nurses and nuns carrying the American…

Peace Parade Along State Street
Peace Parade along the 900 block of East State Street. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918. Soldier on horseback in foreground. The German government was presented with Armistice terms on November 8, 1918.

Miss Camp Grant Esther Ruefer
Esther (Westcott) Ruefer (b. 1927-d. 2017) as Miss Camp Grant. Model Esther poses for an artist who is drawing her on a large white piece of paper. Esther went on to place second in the Miss Rockford competition.

Christening of U.S.S. Rockford
Christening event of U.S.S. Rockford Frigate at the Wilmington, California shipyards. Mrs. Harry L. Crotzer and family sit for dinner with Barbara Hale. Mayor C. H. Bloom is at the end of the table, Sigfred A. Sandeen seated next to Barbara Hale,…

Christening of U.S.S. Rockford
Christening event of U.S.S. Rockford at the Wilmington, California shipyards. Barbara Hale sits along with Mrs. Harry L. Crotzer and family. Seated to the right of Mrs. Ella Crotzer could be Harry L. Crotzer, her husband. Mayor C. H. Bloom is at the…

Christening of U.S.S. Rockford
Christening event of U.S.S. Rockford at the Wilmington, California shipyards. Group photograph of individuals representing Rockford, Illinois. (Left to right: front row: unidentified man, Rockford Mayor C. Henry Bloom, Mrs. Emma Hahn (1333 Elm…

U.S.S. Rockford
The prow of the U.S.S. Rockford frigate at the Wilmington, California shipyards.

Christening of U.S.S. Rockford
Christening event of U.S.S. Rockford at the Wilmington, California shipyards. Mrs. Harry L. Crotzer (Ella) and family, waving. (Left to Right: Sigfred A. Sandeen with Navy Club emblem on his tie, Mrs. Harry L. Crotzer (Ella), and Mrs. Emma J. Hahn.…

Christening of U.S.S. Rockford
Christening event of U.S.S. Rockford at the Wilmington, California shipyards. Mrs. Harry L. Crotzer (Ella) and family, standing near the U.S.S. Rockford. (Left to Right: Mrs. Barbara Hale standing in front of Crotzer's son Robert Crotzer, Mrs. Harry…

Christening of U.S.S. Rockford
Christening event of U.S.S. Rockford at the Wilmington, California shipyards. Mrs. Harry L. Crotzer (Ella) is smashing the bottle of champagne against the U.S.S. Rockford. Mrs. Emma J. Hahn holds the flower bouquet while Barbara Hale smiles in the…

Christening of U.S.S. Rockford
Christening event of U.S.S. Rockford at the Wilmington, California shipyards. Mrs. Harry L. Crotzer christening the U.S.S. Rockford with Mrs. Emma J. Hahn looking on and who is believed to be Harry L. Crotzer, Emma's husband, in the background to…

Christening of U.S.S. Rockford
Christening event of U.S.S. Rockford at the Wilmington, California shipyards. Mrs. Harry L. Crotzer (Ella) and Mrs. Emma J. Hahn.

Christening of U.S.S. Rockford
Christening event of U.S.S. Rockford at the Wilmington, California shipyards. Mrs. Harry L. Crotzer (Ella) and family, standing by the warship for christening. (L-R: Catherine Banks Crotzer, her husband (Emma's son) Robert Crotzer, Mrs. Ella…

Christening of U.S.S. Rockford
Christening event of U.S.S. Rockford at the Wilmington, California shipyards. Ship sponsor Mr. Harry L. Crotzer and family. Left to Right: possibly Harry L. Crotzer, Mrs. Harry L. Crotzer (Ella), Mrs. Emma J. Hahn, unknown man and girl. Mrs. Emma…

Christening of U.S.S. Rockford
Christening event of U.S.S. Rockford. Mrs. Ella Crotzer, wife of Harry L., holds a bouquet of flowers. She sponsored the 303-foot warship. The christening took place at the Wilmington, California shipyards of Consolidated Steel Corporation.

Three Nurses at Camp Grant
Three nurses at Camp Grant, wearing capes, outside a screened building on stilts.

Medical Staff at Camp Grant
Group of three nurses and two doctors at Camp Grant, wearing masks and white gowns over their uniforms, posed outside.

World War I Military Parade
WWI soldiers on parade in Rockford, Illinois. A close-up of two soldiers on horseback

World War I Military Parade
WWI soldiers on parade in Rockford Illinois

World War I Military Parade
Parade, looking west on East State Street at Third Street, with 4th Officer's Training School, 86th Division in the foreground. Swedish Building and Loan Association, 427 East State Street and the Piggly-Wiggly Grocery, 426 East State Street are at…

Third liberty Loan Parade on South main Street
Third Liberty Loan Parade on South Main Street looking north Rockford, Illinois. The 86th Infantry Division is in the foreground. At the left is the Williamson Motor Company, 415-419 South Main Street and the Post Office spire at 405 South Main…

A Soldier's Club
An interior view of a soldier's club. Soldier clubs in downtown Rockford were operated by the Rockford War Camp Community Service.

View of Camp Grant During World War I
View of Camp Grant during World War I. A road follows a line of one-story buildings that may be officer's quarters. Boxes fastened at one end contain potted plants. A bugler stand is at the left.

Yards at Camp Grant
View of yards and sheds at Camp Grant during World War I.

West End of Camp Grant in World War I
View of the west end of Camp Grant taken from the top of the water tower. Appears to be the area immediately to the left of photograph 77.107.25 that shows the African American soldier's barracks.

East End of Camp Grant in World War I
View of east end of Camp Grant. A fenced in area is in the foreground. This part shows the area of camp that housed African American soldiers. The KC hut [believed to be the Knights of Columbus] was the 3rd one from the side to left of the firebreak…
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