The story of Camp Adair

Learn the fascinating history of Camp Adair straight from John Baker, camp expert and author of “Camp Adair: The Story of a World War II Cantonment,” on Wednesday, Aug. 17, at the Newport 60+ Activity Center.

Baker has been a high school and college teacher, dean and vice-president, retailer and shopping mall developer and has owned his own consulting company since 1979.

Camp Adair, a United States Army division training facility established north of Corvallis, operated from 1942 to 1946. It was named in honor of Henry Rodney Adair, an Astoria native, West Point graduate and descendant of Oregon pioneers, who was the first Oregonian killed during the 1916 Mexican border clashes. 

During its peak period of use, the camp was home to approximately 40,000 people and had roughly 1,800 buildings, including 500 barracks, a hospital, a bakery, a post office, a bank, 13 post exchange stores, five movie theaters and 11 chapels.

In addition to sharing the history of Camp Adair, Baker will discuss “Oregon, the World War II Story,” the book he wrote depicting Oregon as both war front and home front. 

A selection of Baker’s books are available for sale in the 60+ Gift Shop.

The talk begins at 2 pm at the Newport 60+ Activity Center, located at 20 SE 2nd Street. For more information and to register, go to newportoregon.gov/sc and click on “Browse the catalog and register,” or call 541-265-9617.