Field Trip to Camp Hollis

On Friday, May 25 UCA students visited the site of Camp Hollis along Route 7 in the Ouachita National Forest. The camp was one of sixteen camps that existed with the National Forest was first occupied on May 22, 1933 and was active (with a short vacancy in 1935) until 1941. Enrollee efforts were largely on forestry with the building and maintenance of forest service roads, fighting forest fires, and constructing and staffing fire towers. They also contributed to recreational duties, such as the construction of recreation facilities at Iron Springs and Lake Sylvia.

Today, the camp is an archaeological park and contains visible architecture, information signs (although heavily weathered), and a paved trail leading through portions of the camp. UCA students visited the site in order to gain comparative information on the construction and layout of the Hollis mechanic shop (which also had a separate residence). They also gathered comparative information on other remaining architectural features, such as the kitchen and mess hall and recreation hall chimney.

Standing in front of the Camp Hollis recreation hall chimney.

CONTACT

Dr. Duncan P. McKinnon
University of Central Arkansas

Jamie C. Brandon Center for Archaeological Research; Department of Sociology, Criminology, Anthropology

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