Columbus Quartermaster Reserve Depot
The Great War (WW I)
The Army Depot, or Columbus Quartermaster Reserve Depot as it was known in 1918, was a hurry up project. The first 281 acres were purchased in April, 1918. Construction on six warehouses and the supporting railroad track was started May 13, 1918. By August the warehouses were ready to receive supplies for storage.
Photographs courtesy of Charles Morris, DSCC Multimedia Photographer.
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A progress photo of the six warehouses on the 71st day of construction. Hundreds of men were employed, horses and a railroad contractor from Toledo. The camera appears to be pointed west.
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Construction progress the 84th day. One warehouse is starting to take shape and the foundations for more are under construction. The camera appears to be pointed north with the PRR/B&O main line in the far background.
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Another construction photo from around the same time period. This looks like the camera is pointing east at the south end of the warehouse construction site.
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An 1918 shipment of Mack trucks destined for France.
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Unfinished artillery shells not so neatly stored in one grand pile.
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The men are loading carted ambulances for overseas shipment.
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Unruly water carts being stacked.
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Stored 60 cm gauge "trench" locomotives built by Davenport Locomotive Works for use in France. Baldwin Locomotive Company built a 4-6-0 for use overseas as well. Several of these narrow gauge locomotives were brought to Fort Benning in Georgia after the war for usage on their military base railroad.
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A homemade track car mounted mixing drum and compressor. No doubt handy machines to have in those early days of base construction.
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