Highlights Archives
Fort McCoy Saved — Maj. Gen. McCoy Namesake
This morning the Defense Department released a plan to close 150 U.S. military installations. Wisconsin's largest base, Fort McCoy, escaped closure, although the Pentagon recommended it be "realigned," which could mean a loss of 231 jobs.
Fort McCoy, near Tomah, is named for Maj. Gen. Robert Bruce McCoy, who returned from the Spanish-American War with a dream of creating a proper training facility in his home state. It opened initially in 1909, expanded in the following years, and was named in McCoy's honor after his death in 1926.
For historical newspaper stories about Maj. Gen. McCoy, visit our online collection of Wisconsin Local History & Biography Articles. A brief history of Wisconsin's earliest military installations has been prepared by Society archaeologists. To learn more about the Society's military history collections, visit the Military Records page prepared by Library-Archives Division staff. Each of the most important Wisconsin forts, starting with those built by the French in the 1600s, is also described in our online Dictionary of Wisconsin History.
:: Posted May 13, 2005
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