Camp Swift, Texas

Camp Swift, Texas
Census-designated place

Main entrance to the Camp Swift facility of the 10th Mountain Division during World War II
Coordinates: 30°11′2″N 97°17′52″W / 30.18389°N 97.29778°W / 30.18389; -97.29778Coordinates: 30°11′2″N 97°17′52″W / 30.18389°N 97.29778°W / 30.18389; -97.29778
Country United States
State Texas
County Bastrop
Area
 • Total 12.1 sq mi (31.4 km2)
 • Land 12.0 sq mi (31.2 km2)
 • Water 0.08 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation 440 ft (134 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 6,383
 • Density 529/sq mi (204.3/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
FIPS code 48-12334[1]
GNIS feature ID 1867544[2]

Camp Swift is a census-designated place (CDP) in Bastrop County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,383 at the 2010 census.[3] Camp Swift began as a United States Army training base built in 1942. It is named after Major General Eben Swift.

History

The Army signed a $25 million contract in January 1942 to build a training camp on 56,000 acres north of Bastrop, Texas. The contract stipulated the project was to be completed in 108 working days. 2700 buildings were built during World War II, but none of those remain on the site today. At the end of the war, they were sold or donated and relocated. The gymnasium was relocated to Whitney Texas. It is still in use today by the school district.

During World War II, German prisoners of war began arriving and eventually numbered 10,000 at it peak. At the same time, the camp held 90,000 GIs, making it "one of the largest army training and transshipment camps in Texas" according to Krammer.[4]

The 10th Mountain Division trained at Camp Swift in 1944. The 2nd Infantry Division trained there mid 1945 to early 1946. The camp also trained nurses under battlefield conditions. The camp trained some 300,000 soldiers before the war ended.

Camp Swift is currently owned by the Texas Army National Guard and acts as a training center for the Guard, active armed forces, law enforcement, high school ROTC and the Civil Air Patrol. The camp is also the primary emergency staging area for Central Texas.[5]

Civil Air Patrol

The Texas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, the Auxiliary of the Air Force has held its encampment, a one-week high intensity simulated military training program for Cadet (teenage) members in Camp Swift in Winter 2013 and in Summer[6] 2014. The Winter 2016 encampment will be held there as well.[7] In order to earn the rank of Second Lieutenant, Cadets must complete an Encampment.

Geography

Camp Swift is located north of the center of Bastrop County at 30°11′02″N 97°17′52″W / 30.183879°N 97.297684°W / 30.183879; -97.297684.[8] It is about 37 miles (60 km) east of Austin and 7 miles (11 km) north of Bastrop. Texas State Highway 95 forms the western edge of the community, connecting Bastrop to the south with Elgin to the north.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 12.1 square miles (31.4 km2), of which 12.0 square miles (31.2 km2) is land and 0.08 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.65%, is water.[3]

Demographics

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 4,731 people, 1,127 households, and 849 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 396.2 people per square mile (153.0/km2). There were 1,231 housing units at an average density of 103.1/sq mi (39.8/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 73.28% White, 8.84% African American, 1.16% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 13.11% from other races, and 3.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 37.88% of the population.

There were 1,127 households out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.40.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 42.5% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 185.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 224.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $41,833, and the median income for a family was $44,352. Males had a median income of $30,572 versus $25,044 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $12,829. About 9.2% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 25.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Camp Swift is served by the Bastrop Independent School District.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Camp Swift CDP, Texas". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  4. ↑ Krammer, Arnold (1979). Nazi Prisoners of War in America. New York: Stein and Day. p. 90,260. ISBN 0812825713.
  5. ↑ Crowell, Ed (December 2014). "Camp Swift". Texas Co-op Power: 26, 27.
  6. ↑ http://www.texascadet.org/Summer_Encampment.html
  7. ↑ https://www.capmembers.com/cadet_programs/activities/encampment/winter-2016-encampments/
  8. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.

External links

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