Saving Camp Naco, Arizona
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| Camp Naco, Arizona |
Built between 1919 and 1923, Camp Naco (also known as Camp Newell) first housed military personnel during the Mexican Border Defense campaign and later served as a base camp for the Civilian Conservation Corps. Troops encamped at the facility included units of the renowned Buffalo Soldiers. The only Western camp made of adobe—and, ironically, the only one that remains fairly intact—Camp Naco has suffered tragic vandalism, severe erosion, and disastrous arson.
The Camp Naco Arizona Preservation Committee (CNAPC) and the Town of Huachuca City initially led the charge to rehabilitate and preserve Camp Naco. On December 29, 2008, a new grant proposal was submitted to the Arizona Heritage Fund by the Town of Huachuca City with two nonprofit partners: the Naco Heritage Alliance (formerly the CNAPC) and Archaeology Southwest.
The Naco Heritage Alliance was fully incorporated as a new Arizona nonprofit in July 2008. Its mission is to assist in the preservation and interpretation of Camp Naco and other important historical resources in the borderlands area.
UPDATE: On October 17, 2012, the Camp Naco Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Read the listing announcement here. Learn more about the National Register of Historic Places here. Learn more about Archaeology Southwest’s preservation and protection efforts at Camp Naco by following the links in the sidebar at the upper left.
