Fort Benjamin Harrison View, 1906

Description:	Fort Benjamin Harrison was established as a training center for the Indiana National Guard in June of 1904 in Lawrence Township, Marion County. In August 1906 some 3,000 Indiana National Guardsmen poured into the camp to study army tactics and maneuvers under the direction of the regular army. The men lived outside sleeping in tents and eating in the field. During the mock battles 200,000 rounds of blank ammunition were fired. This view shows the field with the tents set up. The outdoor kitchen tents appear to be in the foreground with cook fires going. In 1901, the United States Congress approved money for the Army to inspect and recommend four possible sites to establish Camps of Instruction for the National Guard and the regular Army. Seeing the economic benefits the influx of government money would bring to the city, the Club immediately formed a committee to lobby elected officials and the War Department promoting Indianapolis as a site. They were successful in their efforts, and Ft. Benjamin Harrison opened in 1904. The original nitrate negative was copied with funds provided by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission in 1990. This digital image was created from that copy. The copy prints and negatives are stored in Microfiche Number order. Interpositives are stored in PAN number order.
Origin:	1906
Created By:	Bretzman, Charles
Publisher:	Digital image2012 Indiana Historical Society. All Rights Reserved.
Source:	http://images.indianahistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/dc013/id/426
Collection:	Panoramic Photograph Images
Copyright:	This image may be printed or downloaded by individuals, schools or libraries for personal use, study, research or classroom teaching without permission. For other uses contact: visualcollections@indianahistory.org.
Geography:	Indiana--Marion County--Indianapolis
Subjects:	Fort Benjamin Harrison (Ind.) Indiana. National Guard Militias Military camps Military personnel Tents Military uniforms

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