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Surviving WWI buildings on Joint Base Lewis-McChord

The camp rose up from the 19th century farms that existed before the Army rolled in to town. Bill Wood Collection

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"JBLM leads the nation in the number of surviving World War I wood-frame buildings and has restored them to provide functional office space and other effective uses," said Duane Denfeld, Ph.D., JBLM architectural historian.

There are eight surviving WWI structures remaining at JBLM: the Family Resource Center (former Red Cross Hostess House), Lewis Army Museum (former Red Shield Inn), offices (Building 5038, former WWI wagon shed), storehouse (Building 4079, former WWI storehouse), the Post Office (Buildings 4177 and 4170, former WWI warehouses), forestry (Building 1210, a WWI warehouse), the Liberty Gate, and a ramp for a WWI footbridge at Greene Park.

"In 2009, the Fort Lewis, now JBLM, Cultural Resources Program worked with the Directorate of Public Works to develop a plan to rehabilitate the surviving eight World War I buildings," Denfeld said. "These eight buildings would be rehabilitated for efficient reuse with their exteriors closer to original appearance.

"The primary goal for the eight buildings, all within the Lewis Historic District, was to maximize their use while also enhancing their integrity. The Directorate of Public Works established a rehabilitation schedule of one building per year, with all to be completed by the 2017 centennial. By July 2017, all but one has been rehabilitated. One warehouse awaits upgrades.

The ramp from the WWI footbridge was a ruin and left in its original state.

The Family Resource Center was originally the Red Cross Hostess House, also known as a convalescent house.

"The convalescent house at Camp Lewis, dedicated on February 23, 1919, was a large wood-frame building laid out in a cruciform to represent the Red Cross," Denfeld said. On the interior, Red Cross symbols were used as decoration. Many distinguished individuals visited the house over the years including General of the Armies John J. Pershing. In 2013, the rotted columns of the portico were replaced, completing its return to its 1919 appearance."

The Lewis Army Museum was known previously as the Red Shield Inn.

"The most viewed building on JBLM is the large white Swiss Chalet-style structure alongside the I-5 highway," Denfeld said. The museum exhibits document the building as a WWI Salvation Army Red Shield Inn hotel. The 150-room hotel was built for Soldiers and their families. In 1921, the Salvation Army sold it to the Army for $1 to become temporary lodging. It was converted to a museum in 1972. In 2011, the building received a major rehabilitation that included creating instructional space on its third floor. This floor was damaged by water intrusion and bats had made it home.

The project also included revealing original features such as its hardwood floors. Seismic upgrades made it a safer facility.  In 2016, new work began on the museum with all-new exhibits and a restored lobby area. The museum will reopen Aug. 31.

The Liberty (Main) Gate served as the entrance to the post for 40 years and later was moved to make way for Interstate-5 construction. The gate, a stone and timber structure, is the iconic symbol of Camp Lewis. In 2014, the words Camp Lewis were returned to the sign. The gate was cleaned and its split cedar shingles replaced.

The former WWI wagon shed was constructed in 1917 to hold wagons.

"(It) was near collapse in 1943 and scheduled for demolition," Denfeld said.  "The Fort Lewis Special Services Officer saw it as a great opportunity. Post engineers rebuilt it as a hobby shop opening on Aug. 1, 1943. It served as a hobby shop for more than 60 years. It may have been the first hobby shop, later called Arts and Crafts, in the Army. Recently, JBLM rehabilitated the historic building to serve as offices."

The former storehouse was one of the first buildings constructed at Camp Lewis and served as a supply issue store. Later, it became a salvage warehouse for collecting and repairing blankets, cots and clothing.

After World War II, it was incorrectly identified as World War II temporary construction. In 2010, given its identification as a World War II building, it was scheduled for demolition. Happily, the error was discovered and JBLM has faithfully restored the building. Today it serves as a storehouse.

There are three WWI-era warehouses on JBLM, which are identifiable by their brick fire walls dividing each into two separate buildings. They have been upgraded to be functional office and service space. The United States Post Office occupies one of them.

Note: Information about the WWI buildings on JBLM was compiled from the article "Preparing Joint Base Lewis-McChord World War I Buildings for their Centennial," by Duane Denfeld, Ph.D., which was published in the May/June 2014 Department of Defense Cultural Resources Program newsletter Cultural Resources Update.

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