Tour of the core of historic Fort Benjamin Harrison

Fort Benjamin Harrison, 1910

Fort Benjamin Harrison opened in 1906, training 20,000 Regular Army soldiers and National Guardsmen. The fort saw its highest level of activity duringWorld War IandWorld War II. The Fort was the site of the Athletes' Villages for the 1987 Pan American Games. FBH closed in 1991and has since been redeveloped, and includes residential neighborhoods, a golf course, and is the site of Fort Harrison State Park.

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·  Ivy Tech, 9301 E 59th St. Was school for paymasters, military journalists, Noncommissioned Officers (NCO’s), Commissioned Officers Basic and Advanced courses, and others.

·  9152 Kent Ave [along 59th St. on your left]. Built in 1929 for the Field Artillery Battalion, which provided housing for the soldiers and also the Field Artillery’s Headquarters. Now Recruiting Office and used for other businesses.

·  The Garrison Restaurant, 6002 N. Post Rd. [North of the older brick buildings north of the Lawrence Government Center] Was the officers club, built by German prisoners of war, completed in 1945.

·  Lawrence Government Center, 9001 E. 59th St. Seat of government for the City of Lawrence. The Harrison House north of the LGC was used as a guest house, the quarters east of that were officers’ quarters.

·  Fort Harrison Inn, 5830 N. Post Road. General Hospital in World War 1, later became Post Headquarters building where VI Corps Headquarters was located. The buildings across the road from the old hospital and were used for living quarters for the doctors and nurses who worked at the hospital.

·  Spring Valley Cemetery; Includes grave of Revolutionary War soldier William Reddick.

·  Sterrett Center, 8950 Otis Ave. Built in 1931 as The Service Club, staffed with civilians who planned and coordinated recreational activities and became a popular recreational center. In 1941 it became the Reception Center, and was the largest reception center in the US by 1943.

·  The Theater at the Fort, 8920 Otis Ave. Opened in 1929 as a movie house, later refitted as a rehearsal and performance hall for the Army Band.

·  8902 Otis Ave. [and 8901 across the street]. Barracks constructed in 1939, replacing the last of the temporary wooden buildings from World War I. Also housed the Chaplain School in 1942.

·  Post Bakery on SE corner of Otis and Lawton Loop. Also training school for bakers and cooks.

·  Train Depot south of that [now La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant]. Later became Post Office for the fort.

·  Village of Merici. Former barracks

·  Fortune Academy, 5626 Lawton Loop E Dr. Former chapel for Post.

·  Lawton Loop Drive, which forms the horseshoe-shape parade grounds in the center of the Fort Benjamin Harrison, was a parade ground named after Major General Henry W. Lawton, who enlisted as a private in the Civil War.

o  Homes along the Western and NW edges were for officers and their families.

o  Housing for the soldiers was in the six barrack buildings bordering the east side of the parade grounds.

o  Standing tall in the middle of the row of the six enlisted barracks was the post exchange, a gathering point for members of the regiment looking for relaxation, entertainment and a place to spend their money on the few amenities the soldiers could afford. The PX also had a reading room, gymnasium and a small bowling alley.

o  Concrete pads on south section were for reviewing stands during parades.

o  Concrete pads on north section were for tanks that were on display.

o  Gazebo hosted band performances.

·  5861 Lawton Loop. Commandant’s Home

·  5857, 5851 Lawton Loop. Housing for bachelor officers.

·  5854 Lawton Loop. Was General Administration Building [now Craig, Kelly and Faultless]

·  5835 Lawton Loop. Was barracks and rehearsal hall for band. Later became JAG/Judge Advocate General office [now Triad Assoc. Inc]

·  5825 Lawton Loop. [South of JAG office]. Was guardhouse for prisoners. [now CHS Insurance]

·  8899 Kent Ave. [on right as you turn off Lawton Loop]. Was Fire Station [now Vision Ventures]

·  Mule Barns, NW corner of Wheeler and Hawkins. [Ft Harrison Self Storage and 3 building to the North].

·  Veterans Memorial Chapel, 9701 Billings Rd. Moved from its original location on Lee Road in 1986 to construct a field track for the Tenth Pan American Games in 1987.

Our thanks to those who contributed to these historical notes. Most of these came from Timothy J. Riggs of the Fort Harrison Reuse Authority.

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