Saturday, July 11, 2009

Camp Ford park in Tyler, Texas


During the civil war 5500 prisoners from every Northern State except Delaware and Vermont were imprisoned at Camp Ford. Camp Ford had the distinction of having the most naval prisoners of any camp, north or south. As the highest ranking prisoner in the camp Lt. Col. J. B. Leake of the 20th Iowa was allowed to have a cabin set at a prime location closest to the spring. The cabin pictured is a reconstruction based on his diary and drawings using materials from the park.