Raising the Barracks
Life Inside the Barracks at Camp Adair
Vancouver Barracks built 1905, Justin Docken
To understand the barracks at Camp Adair, you have to go back to the early 1900s when the U.S. Army followed a much simpler, standardized plan for housing soldiers. At that time, a single barracks building served nearly every purpose in a soldier’s daily life. These structures were designed as all-in-one facilities: soldiers slept upstairs, while the first floor housed the mess hall and kitchen. In many cases, even a barber shop was included. Including the basement. These buildings weren’t just places to sleep they were where soldiers ate, worked, and lived their entire routine.
With war already raging across Europe in what would become World War II, the United States began preparing for the possibility of entering the conflict. Recognizing the need for rapid expansion, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Congress authorized the construction of temporary housing for a much larger military force.
Class 700 Barracks from Lowry Denver Colorado, Lowry Foundation
In December, 1941 standing force of roughly 1,600,000 men. But as mobilization accelerated, those numbers quickly became obsolete. By late 1942, the Army had grown to over 3.7 million troops. The existing infrastructure simply could not support such explosive growth. This is where camps like Camp Adair became essential.
Camp Adair was built rapidly to meet the demands of wartime training and mobilization. One of its most striking features was the sheer number of enlisted barracks: 457 in total. That made barracks the most common type of structure on the post, forming the backbone of daily life for thousands of soldiers preparing for overseas deployment.
Camp Adair Class 800 Barracks 1942, Justin Docken Collection
Unlike the earlier all-in-one buildings, the barracks at Camp Adair reflected a new approach to military design. The Army had developed standardized building plans categorized into different classes most notably the 700 and 800 series. At Camp Adair, Class 800 barracks were constructed.
Beds in a WW2 Barracks
These buildings were designed with a clear separation of functions. Instead of combining everything under one roof, the Army spread services across multiple specialized structures. The barracks themselves became primarily living quarters. Soldiers were housed on two floors, with non-commissioned officers sergeants and corporals living alongside their men. This arrangement helped maintain discipline, cohesion, and leadership within each unit.
Bathrooms in the Barracks
Basic facilities like sinks, bathrooms, and showers were included, heat and hot water were provided by coal, but key services were moved elsewhere. Mess halls became separate buildings. Administrative and recreational spaces were also placed in their own structures. This layout created a more organized and efficient camp environment, better suited to the needs of a massive, modern army.
Barracks Boiler
HABS/HAER, National Parks
For the soldiers stationed there, the barracks were more than just a place to sleep. They were a temporary home a place where bonds were formed, routines were established, and the realities of military life set in. It was here that men prepared mentally and physically for the challenges ahead.
In many ways, these simple wooden buildings represented a turning point in Army logistics. They reflected the shift from a small, peacetime force to a vast, rapidly mobilized wartime military. And for the men who passed through Camp Adair, these barracks were the last place they would call home before heading overseas into the uncertainty of war.
Camp Adair Barracks Foundation today, Justin Docken
Today all that remains of the the barracks are the foundations of the boiler room and some of the footings.
Raising the Barracks Construction Update #2 as of June 1, 2025
By Barbara Melton, President, Board of Directors of Adair Living History, Inc.
Click here for a virtual tour of the Adair Interpretive Center
Things are moving right along inside the barracks building that will become the Adair Interpretive Center. The electrical wiring is completely installed! Our insulation contractor will finish up, maybe this week, maybe early next week. In the meanwhile, our HVAC contractor will be in Adair Village on the 17th to install a couple of vents—one in the bathroom, and one in the kitchen. He will also install and connect the bathroom fan. After that we will be installing sheetrock. Our building will start looking like a “real” building soon.
Corridor leading from south to north (west side)
The building is divided into three large areas. The extreme south end of the building will hold displays and artifacts and will be arranged so that we can have events in there, or college seminars might come in to study right on the grounds where all the Adair history was made. Our plan is to have several 3D displays cases built on wheels so that they can be moved elsewhere during events. We will be able to project images or videos via a built-in projector and large screen. There’s really no limit to the number of things a room such as this can be used for.
South End of the Building (meeting rooms and exhibit display)
The middle section, with a new entrance on the east side, will contain a desk for docents to use, plus a couple of study areas that anyone can come in and use to do research. We hope to grow into a facility where interested folks can come and find out information, such as how to ask the military for family members’ records, or when the town of Wells was first established. Our remit will be contained within the 65,000 acres that the US Army first reserved to establish Camp Adair. Whatever happened within those borders will be what we hope to help people learn about.
Our climate-controlled storage room will also be in this middle section. Things made of paper or cloth will need to handled and stored carefully to extend their lives.
Finally, in the middle area of the building will be a handicapped-accessible bathroom, and a small kitchen. We’d like to be able to offer coffee, tea, water, and snacks to those visiting the Interpretive Center.
Middle Section of the Building
The north end of the building will be a permanent display—and partial reconstruction of a barracks building, as the men who trained at Camp Adair lived in. Because of the generosity of various donors, we already have in storage a couple of bunk beds, a pot-bellied stove, and a footlocker to be used to furnish this area. In addition, the walls and ceiling will be covered in shiplap. This is not entirely period, but it will provide a hint at the rough conditions these young men inhabited while they trained.
North End of the Building
There will also be a small office in this area, where Adair Living History can meet, work, and generate more ideas about the things we can do to share the rich history of the area.
Thanks for following us as we continue this big, always interesting, and very exciting project!
The electrical wiring is completely installed! Our insulation contractor will finish up this week. In the meanwhile, our HVAC contractor will be in Adair Village on the 17th to install a couple of vents—one in the bathroom, and one in the kitchen. He will also install and connect the bathroom fan.
After that we will be installing sheetrock. Our building will start looking like a “real” building soon.
Raising the Barracks
Raising the Barracks
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
April 2025
By Barbara Melton, President, Board of Directors of Adair Living History, Inc.
We thought it would be nice to post occasional updates about the construction work that’s being done now (finally!) in the barracks building. Almost all of the work will be on the inside, except for some wiring and a double door that will be installed on the east wall of the building. As work continues, we will report to you.
Below, you’ll see an illustration, made by ALH Board member, Dave Dickson, of what we anticipate the building will look like when finished. The details will change, of course, but the rooms have been framed in, so the location and use of each room as shown is accurate.
- Plumbing occurred some time ago, thanks to a grant from the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund. A toilet, sinks, and a small water heater will go in as we near completion. R. G. Smith, of Philomath did that work for us.
- Electrical infrastructure has begun and will continue shortly. We want to thank R. G. Smith for their attention to our needs as we’ve explained them, and for their excellent work.
- D. Downs Construction is working in the building as we speak. They have firred out the studs inside, so that insulation, drywall, and shiplap can be installed later. Several bits of missing flooring have been patched. Our electrical panel needs to be out of sight, and the Downs family are constructing a barn door apparatus that will allow free access to the panel when needed. We want to thank Jason and Lonnie for their hard work. They’ve been part of this project since the building was moved in 2009!
The Board of Directors for Adair Living History want to thank the Adair Village Mayor, City Council, and City Administrator for conceiving of this project to begin with, and for continuing to support the project, both financially and philosophically, and the Adair Living History Board of Directors. Without their vision, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
