DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker at Camp Maxey has to say — and friend, this one's got more layers than a Texas onion. Now, 1940 was a lean time in Lamar County, and the city of Paris was thinkin' ahead. They sent a request to the army — build a training camp here, host some peacetime draftees, maybe breathe a little life back into the local economy.
The American Legion got to work acquirin' land options. The Chamber of Commerce of Lamar County sent delegations, made their case, and by all accounts they were gettin' somewhere. Initial support.
Things were lookin' promising. Then Congressman Lyndon Johnson moved the planned camp to his district at Bastrop. Just like that.
Gone. You can imagine how that landed in Paris. But Paris didn't roll over.
No sir. U.S. Senator Tom Connally stepped in, army officials got involved, and together they ensured a camp for Paris — confirmed in July 1941.
The surveyors were already out there walkin' seventy thousand acres when the United States entered World War II in December. The whole thing shifted gears overnight. Camp Maxey was activated on July 15, 1942.
Named for Sam Bell Maxey — C.S.A. General and U.S. Senator, a man from Paris himself — this place became something enormous.
The main entrance was Gate 5, marked by stone portals right at this very site where you're standin'. What happened inside those gates? Two full infantry divisions trained here.
The 102nd, known as the Ozark Division. The 99th, the Checkerboard. The 250th Field Artillery.
Other army units too, more than you could count on a busy afternoon. There was a regional hospital on the reservation. And then there was the prisoner of war camp — seven thousand Germans, housed right here in Lamar County, Texas.
The home front showed up, too. Local women formed the Maxey Command and hosted dances for the soldiers — all 194,800 of them who were stationed here over the life of the camp. Area residents opened their homes to thousands of military dependents.
And ten thousand three hundred civilian jobs on base were filled by people from the surrounding area. Ten thousand three hundred. The camp that almost went to Bastrop became one of the biggest things that ever happened to Lamar County.
And then, quietly, it was over. When the P.O.W. stockade was vacated in early 1946, Camp Maxey was closed. The gate came down.
The soldiers went home. And all that was left were the stone portals at Gate 5 — and a story worth tellin'.
What the marker says
Recognizing in 1940 that hosting peacetime draftees might revive the county's economy, the city of Paris sent a request for the army to build a training camp here. The local American Legion acquired land options. Delegations from the Chamber of Commerce of Lamar County received initial support, but Congressman Lyndon Johnson moved the planned camp to his district at Bastrop. In response U. S. Senator Tom Connally and army officials ensured a camp for Paris, confirmed in July 1941. The 70,000 acre site was being surveyed when the U. S. entered World War II in December. Camp Maxey, named for C. S. A. General and U. S. Senator Sam Bell Maxey from paris, was activated on July 15, 1942. Its main entrance was "Gate 5" marked by stone portals at this site. Two infantry divisions, the 102nd "Ozark" and 99th "Checkerboard," trained here with the 250th Field Artillery and other army units. A regional hospital and a prisoner of war camp hosting 7,000 Germans were part of the reservation. Local women formed the "Maxey Command" to host dances for the total of 194,800 soldiers stationed here. Area residents housed thousands of dependents and filled 10,300 civilian jobs on base. The camp was closed when the P. O. W. stockade was vacated in early 1946.