Welcome back to National Parks & other public lands with T! If you are seeing this on Twitter or Facebook, please visit the blog to see all of the photos and read the story by clicking the link.
March is Women’s History Month in the USA and this Friday is International Women’s Day, so today I am highlighting a stop on the New Jersey Women’s Heritage Trail.
The Women’s Army Corp was formed during World War II. Women were given stateside non-combatant positions so that the men who would normally do those jobs could be sent into combat.
WAC soldiers were first assigned to Fort Hancock in New Jersey in 1943 and were originally destined for clerical positions. The women proved so invaluable to the war efforts that their roles expanded to the motor pool, commissary, finance office, etc…
The WACs were assigned to building #25. Known as the WAC Mansion, the building was 17,000 square feet and luxurious by army standards.
Today the Women’s Barracks is in need of repair, but fared better than some of its neighbors did during Hurricane Sandy. The National Park Service has offered many of the fort’s buildings for lease…lessees will be responsible for restoration and maintenance while preserving the historic integrity of the site. When I visited in September, there was an ‘under contract’ sign posted here, so hopefully it will soon receive some much-needed TLC.
My other posts on Sandy Hook:
- Sandy Hook
- Grand Re-opening
- Sandy Hook Light
- Fort Hancock
- Women’s Barracks
Location: 128 South Hartshorne Drive, Highlands, NJ 07732
Designation: National Recreation Area
Date designation declared: 10/27/1972
Date of my visit: 9/30/2018
Maybe they could let some college or university establish a campus there.
There is already an academy (marine biology I think) leasing some of the buildings.
Certainly was a different time, almost incomprehensible from today in terms of women and the military, recognizing, of course, that we still have a long ways to go. –Curt
Yes indeed!👊