Preservation allows Fort Sam Houston to live with history

By Rob McIlvaine
FMWRC Public Affairs

Fort Sam Houston, known colloquially as "Fort Sam", is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas.

The installation's missions include serving as the command headquarters for the Fifth U.S. Army (which became U.S. Army North as of October 2006), United States Army South, the Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) headquarters, the AMEDD Center and School, the Fifth Recruiting Brigade, 12th ROTC Brigade, U.S. Navy Regional Recruiting, the San Antonio Military Entrance and Processing Station, and the U.S. Naval School of Health Sciences, Bethesda Detachment.

Construction at Fort Sam Houston began in the middle 1870s under the supervision of the military commander of the Department of Texas, Maj. Gen. Edward Ord, a West Point-trained Army engineer. Today, as one of the Army's oldest installations, and with more than 900 buildings in its historic districts, Fort Sam Houston boasts one of the largest collection of historic military post structures. The significant contributions of Fort Sam Houston to the United States were recognized in 1975 when the post was designated as a National Historic Landmark.

The Fort Sam Houston Quadrangle, built by George Henry Griebel, is the oldest structure at Fort Sam Houston. It was originally a supply depot, and during that time, it also housed Geronimo and those Apaches captured with him while the Federal government decided whether they were prisoners of war or common criminals. Legend has it that the deer in the Quadrangle were there because Geronimo refused to eat food he did not hunt. In truth, the deer pre-date Geronimo in the Quadrangle, he ate the same rations as the soldiers, and no one really knows why the deer are there. The Quadrangle is now an office complex housing the commanding general and staff of U.S. Army North.

Even more consequential than the number of buildings is the historical integrity of the post's different sections, which represent different eras of construction, and reflect Army concepts in planning and design. Careful preservation of these areas allows the post to live with its history, surrounded by the traditions established when the first soldier arrived here in 1845.

Through 2011, BRAC will have an economic impact of $5.7 billion and support employment of over 46,000 due to the impact of construction.

After BRAC is completed in 2011, its impact will support the employment of over 11,000 additional people and provide additional $621 million in economic impact.

Earnings from BRAC will increase by $2.1 billion. BRAC-related construction activity will generate earnings through 2011 of $1.7 billion. New missions resulting from BRAC will increase earnings by $518 million.