McMillan Woods

McMillan Woods is a Gettysburg Battlefield forested area used during the Battle of Gettysburg and for camps after the American Civil War, including a CCC camp and the subsequent WWII POW camp at Gettysburg. The woods includes Rifle Pits and Earth Works from the battle.[1][2]

McMillan Woods
Geography
LocationUnited States, Adams County, Pennsylvania, Gettysburg National Military Park
Ecology
FaunaNorthern Piedmont ecoregion

The cast iron site identification tablet for the woods was placed in 1920,[3] and the woods is the site of a youth campground.

History
Chronology
Date Event
1906-07-16 Camp Henderson of the PA National Guard used 95 acres (0.38 km2) in McMillan Woods and the Trostle, Klingel, Sherfy, McPherson, and Codori farms for the encampment through July 16. Maneuvers were conducted from Zeigler's Grove to Devil's Den. (the joint maneuver camp followed at Mount Gretna's Camp Roosevelt.)[4]
1934-02-03 CCC camp NP-2 had opened in McMillan Woods[5] (Charles Heilman was the 1936 commander).
1942-03 The McMillan Woods CCC camp was to be abandoned after becoming the 1st under an "all colored staff" in 1939.
1944-11-15 POWs moved to the former McMillan Woods CCC camp converted to the Gettysburg WWII POW Camp to replace the stockade.[6]
1949-08-09 The site of the former POW camp was used for the camporee of the Black Walnut Boy Scout district.
1966 Boy Scout summer camps formerly held at Pardee Field began at McMillan Woods.
1989 Improvements were completed at the McMillan Woods Youth Campground for hosting 5500 campers each year.

References
  1. Cope, Emmor, "McMillan Woods Rifle Pits (Structure number MD15, LCS ID 006988) & Earthworks (Structure number MD16)", NPS.gov, archived from the original on December 13, 2012
  2. "List of Classified Structures". United States Department of War. p. 36. 6 shallow dish-shaped depressions in ground. 2' deep, 7'11" diameter. Overgrown & filled w/ decomposed leaves. Located ca 20' form E edge of McMillan Woods, 60' from West Confederate Ave.
  3. Cope, Emmor (1920), "Pitzer Woods - Cast Iron Site ID Tablet (ID52)", NPS.gov, United States Department of War, archived from the original on September 15, 2012, retrieved June 6, 2011, 1 of 35 Site ID Tablets by War Dept's … Designer … Cope, E. B. … Painted raised letter and border inscription tablet, 2'1"x1'8". Mounted on fluted post, 3' high.
  4. "An Imaginary Battle Fought at Gettysburg" (Google News Archive). Reading Eagle. July 25, 1906. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  5. "Camp Information for NP-2-PA". Pennsylvania CCC Archive. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on December 25, 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
  6. "Out of the Past: 50 Years Ago". June 29, 1995. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
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