Camp Curtin Historical Society Enlistment Form
History of Camp Curtin
When news of the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter reached Washington
on April 14, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers.
Governor Andrew Curtin also made a plea to the citizens of Pennsylvania
to volunteer to help preserve the Union. Almost immediately, men from throughout
the state converged on Harrisburg to offer their services and it became
apparent that a military camp would have to take control of the grounds
of the Dauphin County Agricultural Society, located in what was then the
northern outskirts of Harrisburg. The camp was between Reel's Lane on the
north, the Pennsyvania Railroad tracks on the east, Maclay Street on the
the south and Fifth Street on the west. It was originally to be called
Camp Union but when Major (later Brigadier General) Joseph Knipe officially
opened the camp on April 18th, he proclaimed it to be Camp Curtin.
Over 300,000 men passed through Camp Curtin, making it the largest federal camp during the Civil War. Harrisburg's location on major railroad lines running east and west, and north and south made it the ideal location for moving men and supplies to the armies in the field. In addition to Pennsylvania regiments, troops from Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, and the Regular Army used Camp Curtin. The camp and surrounding area also saw service as a supply depot, hospital and prisoner of war camp. Harrisburg's strategic importance as a state capital, military camp and railroad center was twice made evident by the Confederacy's attemptsto take the city during the Antietam and Gettysburg campaigns.
At the end of the war, Camp Curtin was used as a mustering-out point for thousands of troops on their way home. Camp Curtin was officially closed on November 11, 1865, the same date that would become Veterans' Day after the World War I.
Curtin Statue and Park
For years, citizens of the area and Civil War veterans wanted a gateway
built at Sixth and Maclay Streets to mark the entrance to Camp Curtin,
but this plan never materialized. The local citizens and church members,
led by Pastor Alvin Williams, continued to petition the state for a proper
memorial and Senator Edward Beidelman sponsored a bill which passed in
1917, appointing a commission and appropriating $25,000 for a suitable
memorial. On October 19, 1922, the Governor Andrew G. Curtin statue was
unveiled by his son, William W. Curtin, and Laura and Helen Gastrock, great-granddaughters
of General Joseph F. Knipe. After years of neglect, the statue was restored
and rededicated by the Camp Curtin Historical Society on November 11, 1990,
the 125th anniversary of the closing of Camp Curtin. On April 18, 1992,
a state roadside historical marker was dedicated during ceremonies commemorating
the 131st anniversary of the opening of Camp Curtin.
Purpose of the Camp Curtin Historical Society
The Camp Curtin Historical Society is a non-profit, all volunteer organization,
dedicated to the preservation of Camp Curtin history, landmarks and relics.
In doing so, the society seeks to involve a wide array of students, neighbors,
historians and civic leaders in a continuing mission of educational outreach
and community service.
Location
The Camp Curtin Park is located in Harrisburg, a few blocks west of
the State Farm Show Complex. It is one block north of the intersection
of Maclay and North Sixth Streets. For more information, contact: Camp
Curtin Historical Society, 2221 North Sixth Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110,
(717) 233-0335.
Membership Benefits
Quarterly Newsletters, with updates on Society business and
activities, and articles about various aspects of the Civil War.
Tours of Historical Sites, recent trips have included Gettysburg, Arlington Cemetery, Curtin Village and Harpers Ferry.
Guests Speakers and Special Presentations, recent topics have included Harrisburg's role in the Civil War, the Underground Railroad in South Central Pennsylvania, Music in the Civil War, and Living History Demonstrations by Re enactors.
An opportunity for you to become involved in historic preservation,
10% discount on Civil War Books and Merchandise.
Please note that contributions to CCHS above the $10.00 basic dues are tax deductible under the Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).
Church History
The beginning of the Camp Curtin can be traced to an organization of
a Sunday School in north Harrisburg by the Rev. Dr. Thomas Wilcox on May
12, 1889. Within a year, the Curtin Heights Methodist Episcopal Church
was built and by 1893, two wings were added. Sadly, on December 30, 1894,
the new church and all of its contents were destroyed by fire but within
two years a new building was constructed. By 1914, the membership had grown
so large that a new building had to be constructed. Since the new church
was located on the site of Camp Curtin, it was designated a memorial to
all Civil War soldiers and the name was changed to Camp Curtin Memorial
Methodist Episcopal Church.
A large allegorical painting - depicting Christ appearing to a dying soldier, dressed in blue and gray - still adorns the sanctuary wall. In 1922, the monument to Governor Curtin was erected adjacent to the church. In 1939, the church became Camp Curtin Memorial Methodist Church and in 1968 it was renamed Camp Curtin Memorial United Methodist Church. On June 25, 1989, it merged with the Mitchell congregation and is now known as the Camp Curtin Memorial-Mitchell United Methodist Church
Governor Curtin
Andrew Gregg Curtin was 43 years old when he became Pennsylvania's
chief executive on January 15, 1861. He was a lawyer from Bellefonte and
of Scotch-Irish descent. A former Whig, he joined the new Republican Party
in 1860 and was one of Lincoln's staunchest supporters. Curtin was responsible
for establishing the first and largest Civil War camp and was the first
governor to send troops to defend the nation's capital. In September 1862,
he arranged a conference in Altoona for northern governors to raise support
for President Lincoln and his war effort. During his term, he established
a Pennsylvania State Agency in Washington and another office in Nashville,
Tennessee, "to provide for the comfort and efficiency of our volunteers"
and at home he organized state funded schools for soldiers' orphans.
In 1864, he was reelected to his second three year term. In 1867, when his term expired, he was a potential vice president candidate but instead was named ambassador to Russia. Curtin returned to Pennsylvania and for years opposed the political machine of Simon Cameron. He ended his political career by serving six years as a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He died in 1894. Four identical statues honor his memory: one in his hometown of Bellefonte, Centre County, another on the Pennsylvania State Monument at the Gettysburg Battlefield, another in the rotunda of the State Capitol Building, and the last at the site of Camp Curtin.