New history post every Monday.
World War I ended on November 11, 1918, but Camp Gordon, a military training camp built in Chamblee, continued for almost three years. Today, much of that land is home to DeKalb Peachtree Airport.
In June of 1919, Camp Gordon was designated a permanent cantonment. The Atlanta Constitution announced, “Thousands of soldiers who were discharged have again re-enlisted in the army in order to continue in the work they like best.” This was good news for Chamblee and Atlanta, as Camp Gordon brought people and therefore additional business and money to the area.
The 1920 census includes 78 pages of those working or associated with Camp Gordon for a total of 3,487 people. Most of those were soldiers living at the camp, but there were also civilians working in jobs such as cooks, laundry, finance, supplies and security. Some of the listings include wives and children.
Edward Clinton Daniel Sr. was one of the civilians at Camp Gordon in 1920. He was born in Greene County, Georgia in 1864 and moved to Chamblee in 1908. The family farm was located where Skyland Shopping Center was later built. Daniel’s grandson, Clint Daniel, has researched and maintained the family history.
When Daniel Sr. found out about the job opportunity, he applied and was assigned to guard warehouses near the railroad. There are 39 civilians listed as watchmen at Camp Gordon in 1920.
The February 1920 “Society at Camp Gordon” column in the Atlanta Constitution gave insight into life at post-war Camp Gordon. The hostess house was still entertaining soldiers, the hospital was operational, various sports teams continued, and a Valentines ball was recently held complete with entertainment by a jazz orchestra.
The Educational and Vocation School of Camp Gordon opened in early 1920. Atlanta Mayor James Key gave an address to the 200 soldier students receiving certificates from the school in June. (Atlanta Constitution, June 14, 1920, “Certificates awarded 200 soldier-students at vocational school”
An announcement of instructions to abandon and salvage Camp Gordon was made in August of 1920, but the city continued to fight to keep it open. Mayor Key went to Washington D. C. to try and save Camp Gordon. (Atlanta Constitution, August 7, 1920, “Strong efforts to retain Gordon”)
By September of 1921, all efforts by the city of Atlanta had failed and an auction date of October 10, 1921 was set. The advertisement listed between 2,500 and 3,000 acres of land to be sold, followed by sale of lumber from barracks. Each barrack consisted of about 66,000 feet of lumber, plus plumbing and a furnace.
DeKalb County bought land that was part of the former Camp Gordon in 1940 for a future airport, somewhere between 300 and 400 acres. The Navy chose this site to build a Naval Aviation Reserve Base in 1941, which became Naval Air Station Atlanta in 1943.