Camp A. A. Humphreys and Ft. Belvoir Role
Photograph above of construction of the Lake Accotiink Dam was most likely taken in 1943.
More Information: Fort Belvoir: Host to History United States: Department of the Army Second Edition 2010 http://www.belvoir.army.mil/history/101713-USA-R1.pdf
In 1915 the US Army established Camp Belvoir, an engineer training facility, on the Belvoir Peninsula.
Camp A.A. Humphreys was established in 1917 on 1,500 acres between the Potomac River and Accotink Creek. The camp was named in honor of Civil War commander and former Chief of Engineers Major General Andrew A. Humphreys In eleven months, soldiers and civilians cleared, surveyed and constructed camp facilities. A dam on Accotink Creek was built to supply water for the 20,000 men to be stationed there. A camp newspaper described Camp Humphreys as “ the wonder city in the midst of an unbroken wilderness of forest and swamp.”
The harsh winter and Spanish flu epidemic hit the troops hard. 4,000 men were treated for the flu. 15% of the men died. By 1919, the camp was expanded to 6,000 acres. The camp would become the home for the Army Corps of Engineers and also host to summer ROTC training camps. In the 1920s, the temporary buildings were replaced by permanent structures.
SEE the time line for information on how part of Camp Humphreys/ Fort Belvoir became Lake Accotink Park
The four photographs below are assumed to be of the 1943 Lake Accotink dam construction. Provided by the Virginia Room of Fairfax County Libraries.
Higher resolution .tif files of the photographs may be provided if requested. Comments are solicited to determine if the construction techniques and tools are typical of 1943 or 1918 constructions.