Camp Mabry

Duane's take

The way I tell it, this comes straight from the official marker — let me walk you through what it says. Now, before Austin was the sprawling capital city it is today, there was a stretch of land — eighty-five acres — that the citizens of Austin handed over as a gift in 1892. A gift.

Just gave it away. And what they gave it for was the Texas Volunteer Guard, an elite militia that had been constituted back in 1876. They needed room to encamp, to drill, to parade, to do the serious work of soldiers-in-waiting.

And that original eighty-five acres was where they started. But here's the thing about military ambition — it tends to outgrow its borders. The guardsmen worked actively to acquire more land, because eighty-five acres, it turns out, is not quite enough room to maneuver an army.

Through state purchases, federal purchases, the whole operation kept expanding until this camp stretched to over four hundred and thirty acres at its largest. That's a long way from a gift of eighty-five. In 1898, the guardsmen themselves took a vote — and they named the place.

They named it for their Adjutant General, Woodford Haywood Mabry, born in 1856, who had provided forceful leadership for the militia. Mabry died in 1899, just a year after they gave the camp his name. Make of that timing what you will.

The years kept turning. The National Guard was created in 1906, and by 1914 the State of Texas built an arsenal right here at the camp — to hold stores that had formerly been kept in the Capitol itself. Then came the first World War, and the United States Army used this ground as a campsite.

Through 1928, it remained the principal site for annual guard encampments. World War II brought a different mission — Camp Mabry became an ordnance engine rebuild station for the United States Army. Engines torn apart and put back together again out here on the Texas plains.

And the missions kept stacking up. For many years, Texas Department of Public Safety patrolmen were trained right here. The Texas Rangers had their training command at Camp Mabry until 1953.

And come 1954, it became — and has remained — the headquarters for the state Adjutant General. Add in the Texas Army National Guard state Officer Candidate School and the U.S. Property and Fiscal Office and Warehouse, and you've got a place that has never once stopped being useful.

Started as a gift of eighty-five acres and the goodwill of Austin citizens. Grew into over four hundred acres of American military history. That's Camp Mabry — and the ground there has earned every acre of its name.

What the marker says

The original 85-acre tract (gift of Austin citizens in 1892) was the site of annual encampments for the Texas Volunteer Guard, an elite militia constituted in 1876. Because larger maneuver, parade, and drill areas were needed, the guardsmen worked actively to acquire more land. With state and federal purchases, the camp at its largest consisted of over 430 acres. By vote of guardsmen, the camp was named in 1898 for Adjutant General Woodford Haywood Mabry (1856-1899), who provided forceful leadership for the militia. In 1914 (after the National Guard was created 1906) the State of Texas built an arsenal here for stores formerly held in the Capitol. This was a campsite for United States Army during the first World War, and was principal site until 1928 for annual guard encampments. During World War II, it was an ordnance engine rebuild station for the United States Army. For many years, Texas Department of Public Safety patrolmen were trained at Camp Mabry; Texas Rangers had their training command here until 1953. This has been headquarters since 1954 for the state Adjutant General. Other post installations include Texas Army National Guard state Officer Candidate School and the U.S. Property and Fiscal Office and Warehouse. (1968)