Chapter 6

ON NOVEMBER 11, 1918 there was cheering everywhere. The war was over! Soldiers and civilians alike paraded and danced in the streets of Charlotte. The soldiers began to look anxiously for their discharges. For the next two months, army life continued as usual, but by early January 1919 plans for the dismantling of Camp Greene were being developed. Actual work began on February 1 after bids were accepted for dismantling the buildings. Most of the bids ranged above $100,000 for materials and the official estimate for the salvaging of the entire camp came to $1,482,136. This included electrical equipment valued at $205,281; the water system equipment, $213,397; six 10,000 gallon capacity water pumps, $100,000; 22,850,000 feet of lumber equal to 1355 carloads sold to the highest bidder, value not stated.

On January 16, 1919 Major Clarence Greene was relieved of his duties as construction quartermaster at Camp Greene. He had hoped to continue till the camp he built was dismantled, but the orders were explicit. The camp was as efficiently razed as it was raised, taking approximately 90 days to complete the process. Most of the dismantling work was done by the military. As of February 21, 1919 only fifteen percent of the trenches and military excavations remained unfilled, and several bayonet training racks and one system of barbed wire entanglements remained standing. Most of the servicemen had departed. With sixteen working days left, only four officers, 300 men and twelve mule teams were available. The army estimated if these resources were adequately used, it would take only $10,240 to finish. The excessive use of civilian laborers was avoided as it was necessary to pay them fifty cents more per day than army personnel. However, both types of workers were needed to complete the task. The enormous expense borne by the government can be seen in the following estimate:

Cost of salvaging Electrical Fixtures - $7,200.00

" " " Plumbing -$3,900.00

" " " Elec. Fixtures Base Hosp. - $1,140.00

" " " Plumb. 2 -$11, 700.00

Taking up Water Pipes & Feed Lines - 

200 Laborers 90 days @ 2.50 per day - $45,000.00

Dismantling Buildings Camp - $270,000.00

" " Hosp. - $90,000.00

Transportation -

100 Teams @ 6.00 (90 days) - $54,000.00

Overhead (Auditing Force) -$3,600.00

Total Labor cost of dismantling Camp: $486,540.00

On March 4, 1919, the Camp Greene Investment Company was organized in Charlotte represented by G. G. Galloway (the contractor) and the United States Government (F. Kimble, Captain Quartermaster Corps acting with the authority of the Secretary of War). The purpose of the corporation was to "buy, sell, lease, rent, improve or otherwise deal with the real and personal property: to acquire and take over the improvements upon the property now included within the limits of Camp Greene and make settlement with the government for the said property and for claims for damage or injuries to the real estate embraced within the limits of the said camp." The corporation was impowered to lease real estate, construct and build improvements, tear down, dispose of and wreck all the buildings, and to do whatever necessary to accomplish the charter's purposes. The sewer system, sewage disposal system, electrical system, and road system of Camp Greene were sold in place. Other items for sale included: one thousand feet of telephone wire, several thousand tents (the canvas of which was valued at fifty dollars each), and an equal number of tent floors and walks (the lumber of which was valued at forty-five dollars each).

The contract did not cover: surplus material, equipment and small tools, military stores, supplies and equipment, ranges and heating stoves, fire extinguishers, nor any property not attached to the camp. Also, not affected were the Red Cross, Y.M.C.A., Y.W.C.A., the Hostess Houses, Knights of Columbus Houses, library, or any other community service buildings. The title to these buildings remained with the parent organizations. Some of the remaining barracks were sold to Charlotteans who converted them to homes.

The cleaning of the Remount Station after the war was a unique experience. The horses and mules were sold at the station. One Charlottean remembers that after the army left, a "mountain of manure" remained in the center of the area. An enterprising young man "bought" and sold it as fertilizer for a small fortune.

With the departure of Colonel A. C. Macomb, the camp closed and Camp Greene's records were shipped to Fayetteville. Although quite a bit of work by the civilian labor forces remained, the military had finished its part in the camp's dismantling.

Charlotte businessmen adjusted to the changes caused by the closing of the camp. Thirteen Charlotte business and industrial establishments agreed to rehire the 420 men who had left their employment to enter the army. Secretary E. N. Farris of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and W. A. Wheatley of the War Camp Community Services telephoned many of the local businesses to help in the rehiring effort. One company which had two hundred employees enter the service reemployed all except the few men remaining with the army. Most employers expressed a general willingness to rehire the discharged soldiers formerly on their payrolls.

The effects of Camp Greene on Charlotte were profound--the most obvious one being economic. The thousands of dollars distributed weekly to the soldiers were spent freely in Charlotte. Numerous soldiers had poured into the city "filling all the chairs in practically every restaurant and cafe." Most of the money was spent on food not included in the diet of the army-ham and eggs, oysters and a great demand for cakes, pies and pastries. The arrival of thousands of soldiers to Camp Greene swelled the overall volume of business.

Bradstreet's review of business in Charlotte for the year 1917 showed an increase of 33 1/3 percent in the wholesale and retail trading in Charlotte over the year 1916. No doubt these statistics reveal the great financial and commercial value of Camp Greene to Charlotte. The banks and trust companies reported increased deposits. The American Trust Company saw an increase in its applied stock from $350,000 to $525,000 -- an increase of 50 percent, making it one of the largest banks in the South. Merchant and Farmer's National Bank led in paying dividends with a semi-annual increase of eight percent.

Several patriotic organizations and individuals placed granite markers in various spots of Camp Greene designating former headquarters for divisions, brigades and regiments. E. C. Griffith promised fifteen-square-foot plots surrounding each marker for the planting of grass. The heads of the organizations combined their efforts so financing of the undertaking would be easier -- the entire project costing a considerable amount. The need for such markers was deemed essential because of the probability the section would grow into a great manufacturing and industrial center. The markers are the most interesting remnants of the prominent part played by Charlotte in the events of World War 1.

Charlotte missed the soldiers; the character of the town turned in many ways back to pre-war days before the men in khaki attracted the attention of the multitudes. The absence of the servicemen was most noticeable in the movie houses and churches. Efforts to change the name of Dowd Road to "Sunset Road" were made to provide a lasting memorial to the 41st or Sunset Division (the first troops to be quartered at Camp Greene). The Dowd Road ran directly west into the sunset making the changed name all the more significant.

The most direct influence of Camp Greene was the doubling of the population during the period that immediately followed the war - marking the emergence of a cosmopolitan area. The rapid increase in population meant an increase in the amount of real estate sold. Myers Park had developed to such an extent that on September 1, 1919 a majority of voters were granted a charter making Myers Park a separate municipality. (This was dissolved in 1924.) The number of building permits during the period from 1911 to 1919 was 1250; the eight year period immediately following the war showed a rapid increase of 8259 building permits.

Business was booming after the war. What began as a trickle developed into a steady stream of people from other areas settling in Charlotte and setting up business. Stores losing profits prior to the war were rejuvenated with the coming of Camp Greene. Charlotte's attractiveness to outsiders was due not only to the higher wages offered by the government, but also in the appealing labor conditions. Many advantages were offered by local employers including club rooms, showers and baths. The result of these factors was the increase in the value of products by approximately 400 percent in the period from 1914 to 1919.

In public education, the most observable change was the expansion of the curriculum. The great variety of people from other parts of the country brought to Charlotte by Camp Greene largely influenced administrators to see the need for improvement. From the senior year of 1909-1910 to the senior year of 1917-1918, the courses offered were markedly broader. The earlier singular emphasis on classical education began to give way.

Inclusion of a commercial curriculum showed the changing preparatory needs of an industrial-oriented community. The addition of German to the choice of foreign languages indicated the impact of World War I and a growing interest in international affairs.

Camp Greene did what the Chamber of Commerce had been trying to do for decades -- it made Charlotte grow. By bringing thousands of people from all over the country into the Queen City, the United States government provided the best public relations service possible for the city. These strangers returned home with vivid memories of the beautiful countryside and tremendous hospitality of the local citizenry. Many returned and settled in Charlotte as civilians. An example is Herbert Baxter who became a prominent member of the city council, and eventually mayor of Charlotte.

The city of Charlotte grew in every way possible during the twenties decade. The city limits were extended into the surrounding county. Population increased at a rapid rate. Construction boomed. The Hotel Charlotte was built to accommodate the increase in trade and business. Ivey's and Efird's erected handsome stores on North Tryon Street. Other construction included the Johnston building, a new city hall and county courthouse.

Would Charlotte have experienced this same growth without the existence of Camp Greene? It is likely that Charlotte was destined to grow in the 1920s. However, Camp Greene should receive credit. The beauty and hospitality of this city was exposed to thousands of men who would never have had the opportunity without the camp in Charlotte. Camp Greene was a tremendous public relations triumph for the Chamber of Commerce.

Charlotteans today consider Camp Greene "the best thing that ever happened to the city." A whole new character -- a cosmopolitan one -- emerged. The influx of new people and numerous new industries led to rapid growth during the 1920s. Little is left of the original "city within a city": the Dowd house, some cement foundations, a few monuments and the graves of some of the soldiers in Elmwood Cemetery. Probably the most precious remainder is the memory in the minds of Charlotteans of the "wonderful" camp and the great changes its existence brought to the Queen City.