abandoned military bases

[Ghosttowns.com]

Originally posted by camp tecolotito

: : : The first site that came to my mind was Camp Ibis (On US-95 just north of Arrowhead Junction on route 66) as I had been searching my mind for ghost towns to visit on the way to Vegas from California. It then occured that I didn’t have a clue where in the country you were looking for abandoned military sites or what kind of sites (old west, Spanish American, Great War, WWII or cold war, Army or Navy or Air Force or AAF, etc. I know dozens of sites in or near Nevada from Civil war to AEC. More information is required on what you seek is required?

[ghamilton]

There are a lot of military ghost towns,as it were.US bases were a microcosm of the orderly society of whichever era,as interperated by **** mil.minds.USA forts Network is an awesome sight the includes the great white North,islands of Pacific and Atlantic.The Panama part is very sad.All those beautiful bases turned over by Jimmy the Good(good for nothing).To the canuck enquiring,I saw the Claresholm base in 66-67.It was in a remarkable state of preservation.A horde of WW II flying machines were lined up around the facility.They would be priceless today.I discovered a former field out e.n.e of Ft.Mcleod.The only clue I spot in the distance was an ammo bunker,then some other concrete structures too tough to be bulldozed as the base had been.The runways were still there,w/some fences going across one.Ft Worden,of Officer and a Gentleman fame is one of the best preserved forts in N.America.All of the Puget Sound forts are must see.Go to the USA forts network site,run by the Payette brothers.There's info there to last a lifetime on military ghostowns.Another fellow,in addition to me ,mentioned the abandoned and little known airfields site/Freeman's;that is a must visit for more hard to collate info.The biggest,fattest ghost the millitary is forced to still use is Ft.Monroe.The only moated fort the army still uses.It is endlessly fascinating.They have tried to dump it,but there are no takers.The one fort I would most like to see is the well-hiddened Ft.Powahtan,down river from Richmond.The description on the American forts or USA fort network site is very intruiging.Ft.Caswell,S of Wilmington,N.C.owned by a church,but avail.to see, is really interesting.Plantation ruins like Rosewell and Barboursville are great.Barboursville was designed by the great T.Jeffereson for his friend,Gov.Barbour.It is romantic,ghostly and very beautiful.Rosewell,across the York from Yorktown is a very impressive ruin,but sad.It was said to be the most impressive colonial mansion.

[Ghostdancer]

I'm wondering; does anything remain of Camp Tocoa (uncertain of spelling) in Georgia of Band of Brothers fame?

[Ghostdancer]

Ft. Newell in Cochise County is IMO the most interesting of the old military posts here in Arizona. It was used by the Army during the time of Pancho Villa.

[bruno]

Fort Sheridan in Illinois is a really haunted abandoned base. It is no longer in service, and there are a ton of abandoned buildings in there. I went there several times and had a really good time. If you search it online, you can find alot of hauntings going on there. My friend and I got pulled over last time we were there. Cops still patrol it at night pretty heavy, but you can get alot of exploring done before getting caught. we were just told to leave. it is worth visiting though. abandoned field full of army hummers, there are still weapons stored there from WW1 and WW2.

[ghamilton]

The fellow mentioned Ft.Sheridan.Some more of that ilk are Ft.Lawton(Seattle),Ft.Ward(Bainbridge Is.)Ft.Douglas(Salt Lake City)I could name them all night.The Phil Payette run USA forts network sight is fabulous.The Freeman run Abandoned and littlle known airfields sight has a lot of ghost town places.Walker Army Airfield in the middle of Kansas is realy spooky.It was spookier before idiots burned down a couple huge hangers.One that isn't on Freeman's list yet,inspite of me telling him about it is the former Quilayute NAAS w of Forks,WA.When I last saw it in the mid-80's there was trees growing up through ruined bldgs.One ghostly thing that is gone foreever is hundreds of acres of abandoned naval vessels that morons like me could crawl through.As a young person in N.Fl,that was possible in several places.You can't believe what a kick it was for a 12-13 yr old kid to go through a bunch of patrol boats.Tricky,risky,but I was too young to know that danger.The few clumps of ghost ships left are too well guarded.Remember the Dirty Harry movie with Clint fighting bad guys on the WW II CVL?They are all gone.The last one,the Cabot was recently scrapped after efforts to save it failed.Patriot Pt.,Charleston is a good place to ship visit.Don't do it on too hot of a day.U.S.S.North Carolina at Wilmington is more fun to visit than the Wisconsin at Norfolk,because you can see a lot of the innards.There are several military post that still have some of that WW II flavor,but they are tearing those areas down at a steady rate.

[Ghostdancer]

Here is an article on Ft. Newell.

[China Lake Kid]

There's a couple within 40 miles of where I am - Fort Wingate (southeast of Gallup, NM) and Fort Defiance, AZ (about 5 miles north of Window Rock, AZ). Both sites have large stone structures still remaining from the turn of the century, if not before. When I was in Alaska there were old structures on some of the islands dating back to WW2 when it was feared that the Japanese might invade.

[Ghostdancer]

Fort Wingate - Is that the one where General Douglas MacArthur spent part of his childhood?

[wdr]

I've a few Ontario, Canada miltary bases (3) on my website.

www.ontarioghosttowns.com