[Texas Photographica]

Camp Wilson Fort Sam Houston Texas 1916 [caption title]

San Antonio: Martin Blandford, 1916. Panoramic silver gelatin photograph, 10 x 47.75 inches. Minor surface wear and soiling, light occasional wrinkling. Very good. Item #2396

An informative panoramic photograph picturing the breadth of Camp Wilson at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio at the outset of World War I and during the Mexican border troubles in 1916. Camp Wilson was established by the United States Army in the year the present photograph was taken as a staging ground for Army and National Guard troops heading for Mexico during the Punitive Expedition. It was renamed the next year as Camp Travis, and then used as a training center for American troops heading across to Europe during World War I. The panorama captures the numerous buildings, tents, and other infrastructure ranged across the base, with an information tent and recruitment center at center-right. Particularly interesting is the "School of Spanish" pictured in the foreground, next to the Army Y.M.C.A. building; this building would have naturally educated officers and troops on their way to Mexico in the Spanish language. No copies recorded in OCLC. The Library of Congress holds nine other panoramic images by Martin Blandford both on his own and as part of the Medley & Blandford studio.

Price: $550.00