As America entered the First World War in 1917, the federal government established a network of new army posts throughout the country to train recruits for combat.  One of those posts was Camp Grant, located in Northern Illinois, just outside of Rockford and about 90 miles from downtown Chicago.  Camp Grant became the largest military post in the Midwest, and one of the largest in the entire country.  56,238 of Camp Grant’s troops were deployed to the Western and Italian fronts.

The post continued under federal operation into the early 1920’s.  In late 1918, the Spanish Flu pandemic infected 4000 soldiers stationed there, of whom 1400 perished.  In early 1924, the post was turned over to the Illinois National Guard, and was decomissioned in the 1930’s.  Afterwards, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) assumed authority over the property and built a log lodge for recreational purposes.

With the outbreak of World War II, the federal government took control of Camp Grant once again.  The facility was used for basic training, and to house Prisoners of War.  When WWII came to an end, the post was decomissioned for good.  Much of it was turned over to the city of Rockford, which used the property for the city’s airport.   However, the area that was used for artillery training was converted to a county forest preserve, and much of its 334 acres have been reclaimed by nature.  Even so, relics of its original use are evident for those who seek them out.  Numerous bunkers can still be seen, many of them in quite good condition.   One can also view remains of the trenches that were used to train recruits to fight in World War I trench warfare.

With this post, I offer a tour of a World War I relic, situated practically in my own backyard.  History, it seems, is alive and well in Northern Illinois.

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 Camp Grant during its World War I heyday.

The camp's artillery range is now a forest preserve.  There are several hiking trails in the preserve, and signs like this one are posted throughout.

Field bunkers like this were used in areas where recruits trained in the use of mortars and other heavy artillery.  Those firing the weapons would be far removed from the bunkers, and would aim their weapons at various targets in the vicinity of the field bunkers. Once the shells exploded, soldiers would exit the field bunkers to determine whether the targets were hit.

L-bunkers are a type of field bunker that were larger, and offered greater protection to those inside than the standard field bunker shown earlier.

Peering inside one of the field bunkers.  Pretty creepy!

This is a target pit.  Soldiers with small arms, usually rifles, would be positioned about 100 - 200 yards to the left of this picture, taking aim at paper targets placed on top of the pit.  Once shooting stopped, soldiers inside the pit would come out to check the targets, and radio to the shooters how well they did.

This is the remains of a trench used to train recruits in trench warfare.  The trench runs for several hundred yards.  Every 100 feet there is a trench bunker.  Most of the trench bunkers are in very poor condition.

A collapsed trench bunker

This is the remains of the Camp Grant Lodge, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930's as part of President Roosevelt's work relief program, while the camp had been decomissioned during the inter-war period.   The mostly log lodge burned down in the 1970's, leaving only the chimney and foundation in place.

Lodge closeup.

Fascinating glimpses of history can be found in the least expected places, even in a pristine forest preserve practically in your own backyard.