Near Spartanburg in Spartanburg County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Camp Croft

By Michael Sean Nix, November 5, 2008

1. Camp Croft Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

[Marker Front]:
Camp Croft, constructed in 1940-41, was named for Greenville native Maj. Gen. Edward Croft (1875-1938). The pillars from the main gate stand nearby. Camp Croft was one of nine U.S. Army Infantry Replacement Training Centers during World War II. More than 250,000 soldiers took basic and specialty training courses here. Camp Croft contained more than 600 buildings, almost half of them barracks, on a 19,000 acre site between S.C. Hwys. 56 and 176.

[Marker Reverse]:
Units at Camp Croft were designated as the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Infantry Training Regiments. The camp also housed as many as 900 German prisoners of war between 1944 and 1946, who were hired out to work on local farms and forests. Camp Croft was deactivated and sold to the Spartanburg County Foundation in April 1947. 7000 acres of it became Croft State Park (now Croft State Natural Area), while the rest was developed for industries and homes.

Erected 2004 by Spartanburg County Historical Association. (Marker Number 42-26.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these

By Michael Sean Nix, November 5, 2008

2. Camp Croft Marker

reverse side

Click or scan to see
this page online

topic lists: Military • Notable Places • War, World II. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1947.

Location. 34° 55.122′ N, 81° 50.928′ W. Marker is near Spartanburg, South Carolina, in Spartanburg County. Marker is on Southport Road (State Highway 295) 0.1 miles west of Patch Drive, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Spartanburg SC 29302, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 10 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Welcome to Glendale Shoals (approx. 1.7 miles away); Battle of Cedar Spring (approx. 1.7 miles away); Spartanburg County War Memorial (approx. 3.7 miles away); American Legion Memorial Archway (approx. 3.7 miles away); Purple Heart Memorial (approx. 3.7 miles away); Spartanburg Confederate War Monument (approx. 3.9 miles away); Pacolet River Heritage Preserve (approx. 3.9 miles away); Welcome to Croft State Natural Area (approx. 3.9 miles away); Old City Cemetery (approx. 4.2 miles away); Converse Heights (approx. 4.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Spartanburg.

Regarding Camp Croft. The Camp Croft Infantry Replacement Training Center was officially activated on January 10, 1941 as part of the Fourth Service Command,

Nearby Camp Croft Memorial image. Click for full size.

By Wes Cox, June 19, 2010

3. Nearby Camp Croft Memorial

Dedicated to the men and women who served and trained at Camp Croft during WWII, many of whom gave their lives for their country. Thank you
Memorial donorsCroft Homeowners Assoc • Gill Drilling • In Memory of Foy Smith • Southport Services • BP Corp • Clemen(t)s Lumber • Parker Hannifin • Dear(y)bury Oil • Colonial Pipeline

with housing for some 20,000 trainees and support personnel. Most trainees that came to the camp were from New York, Pennsylvania, and New England. The trainees received 13 weeks of basic training. They learned how to use the M-1 rifle, the Browning Automatic Rifle, anti-tank rockets, cannons, and mortars. They also received training in chemical and amphibious warfare.

Also see . . .
1. Camp Croft, South Carolina. (Submitted on November 7, 2008, by Michael Sean Nix of Spartanburg, South Carolina.)
2. United States Army Infantry School. The United States Army Infantry School is located in Fort Benning, Georgia. (Submitted on November 3, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)

3. 6th Infantry Regiment (United States). The 6th Infantry Regiment (“The Regulars”) was formed in 1812. (Submitted on November 3, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)

4. 7th Infantry Regiment (United States). The United States Army's 7th Infantry Regiment, known as "The Cottonbalers" from an incident that occurred during the Battle of New Orleans, while under the command of Andrew Jackson, when soldiers of the 7th Infantry Regiment held positions behind a breastwork of bales of cotton during the British attack. (Submitted on November 3, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)

5. 8th Infantry Regiment (United States). Constituted 5 July 1838 in the Regular

Camp Croft Marker - Front image. Click for full size.

By Brian Scott, October 3, 2009

4. Camp Croft Marker - Front

Army as the 8th Infantry. (Submitted on November 3, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)

6. 9th Infantry Regiment (United States). The 9th Infantry Regiment is one of the oldest and most decorated active units in the United States Army. (Submitted on November 3, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)

7. 10th Infantry Regiment (United States). Constituted 3 March 1855 in the Regular Army as the 10th Infantry. (Submitted on November 3, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)

Additional commentary.
1. Notable People at Camp Croft
Notable people who came through Camp Croft include:
• Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger whom become a naturalized U.S. citizen in June 1943.
• Actor Zero Mostel best known for his role in the movie The Producers.
• Retired U.S. Army Major Richard Winters. Most people will know him as "Dick" Winters in the HBO series Band of Brothers based on a book by Stephen Ambrose.
• Former NY mayor Edward Irving "Ed" Koch

— Submitted November 5, 2008, by Michael Sean Nix of Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Camp Croft Marker - Reverse image. Click for full size.

By Brian Scott, October 3, 2009

5. Camp Croft Marker - Reverse

By Wes Cox, June 19, 2010

6. Camp Croft Marker

Raising the flag. Buddy Nichols and Ted McCraw, from the Camp Croft Neighbor Association, replace the flag after the key to flagpole was misplaced

By Wes Cox, June 19, 2010

7. Camp Croft Marker

By Wes Cox, June 19, 2010

8. Camp Croft Marker

Aerial photo of the camp image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of www.campcroft.org

9. Aerial photo of the camp

Camp Croft Map image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of www.campcroft.org

10. Camp Croft Map

Camp Croft Main Gate image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of www.campcroft.org

11. Camp Croft Main Gate

Camp Croft PX image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of www.campcroft.org

12. Camp Croft PX

Camp Croft Amphitheater image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of www.campcroft.org

13. Camp Croft Amphitheater

Camp Croft Service Club image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of www.campcroft.org

14. Camp Croft Service Club

The water tower in the background was once the tallest in the state.

Camp Croft Barracks image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of www.campcroft.org

15. Camp Croft Barracks

Old Gate Pillars image. Click for full size.

By Michael Sean Nix, November 9, 2008

16. Old Gate Pillars

Old pillars of the Main Entrance Guard Post

Old Gate Pillar image. Click for full size.

By Michael Sean Nix, November 9, 2008

17. Old Gate Pillar

Old pillars of the Main Entrance Guard Post

Camp Croft Gates - Mentioned in the Marker image. Click for full size.

By Brian Scott, October 3, 2009

18. Camp Croft Gates - Mentioned in the Marker

Croft State Natural Area Sign image. Click for full size.

By Michael Sean Nix, November 5, 2008

19. Croft State Natural Area Sign

Sign is located at the intersection of State Hwy. 56 and Dairy Ridge Road. Entrance to the park is on Dairy Ridge Road. The park provides fishing, camping, hiking, horseback riding, and swimming.

David W. Reid Playhouse image. Click for full size.

By Michael Sean Nix, November 5, 2008

20. David W. Reid Playhouse

One of the few visible reminders of the area's Army training days. The David W. Reid Playhouse was originally one of the several theaters built at the camp. The theater served dual roles. By day, it was used for instructional training by film. At night, the theater showed news reels and movies to the troops. In 1949 the Spartanburg County Foundation made the theater available to the Spartanburg Little Theatre for a lease of one dollar a year. In 1978, the foundation deeded the Camp Croft Playhouse to the Little Theatre. It was renamed the David W. Reid Playhouse in 1982 after longtime director David W. Reid. Reid had served at Camp Croft during the war and had returned to the area after the war. The Spartanburg Little Theatre has since relocated to a larger facility in Spartanburg. The playhouse is located at the intersection of West Croft Circle and Keltner Avenue.

One of the camp theaters image. Click for full size.

Courtesy of www.campcroft.org

21. One of the camp theaters

Credits. This page was last revised on May 18, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 5, 2008, by Michael Sean Nix of Spartanburg, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 2,722 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 5, 2008, by Michael Sean Nix of Spartanburg, South Carolina. 3. submitted on June 19, 2010, by Wes Cox of Union, South Carolina. 4, 5. submitted on November 3, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 6, 7, 8. submitted on June 19, 2010, by Wes Cox of Union, South Carolina. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. submitted on November 5, 2008. 16, 17. submitted on November 9, 2008, by Michael Sean Nix of Spartanburg, South Carolina. 18. submitted on November 3, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 19, 20. submitted on November 5, 2008, by Michael Sean Nix of Spartanburg, South Carolina. 21. submitted on November 5, 2008. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.