Cutting Edge

Chapter 3
Building an Installation

Fort Detrick is situated on three parcels of land in Frederick, Maryland. The total of nearly 1,200 acres includes the Main Post (Area A, 800 acres) and Area B (nearly 400 acres). The water and waste water treatment plants comprise approximately 16 acres on the banks of the Monocacy River.

Fort Detrick was formally leased from the City of Frederick in 1940.

View of the main entrance to Fort Detrick in 1956, west of current main gate on West 7th Street. It entered what became the parking lot of building T-719, then Post Headquarters. Military were replaced in 1973.

View of the main entrance to Fort Detrick in 1956, west of current main gate on West 7th Street. It entered what became the parking lot of building T-719, then Post Headquarters. Military were replaced in 1973.

Lease between THE MAYOR AND ALDERMEN OF FREDERICK AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

1. This lease, made and entered into this Ninth day of October in the year one thousand nine hundred and forty by and between The Mayor and Aldermen of Frederick... for its heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns, hereinafter called the Lessor, and The United States of America, hereinafter called the Government:
Witnesseth: The parties hereto for the considerations hereinafter mentioned covenant and agree as follows:

2. The Lessor hereby leases to the Government the following described premises, via:
All those tracts, pieces or parcel of ground situate lying and being near the western limit of the City of Frederick, Frederick County, State of Maryland, which were conveyed unto the Mayor and aldermen of Frederick by the two following deeds: From Lewis W. Putman and Della R. Putman, his wife, bearing date on the 29th of July, in 1929 and recorded on the 30th day of July 1929 among the Land Records of Frederick County; (2) from Mary Matilda Kemp and C. Thomas Kemp, her husband, bearing date on the 29th of July, in 1929, and recorded on the 30th day of July, 1929, among the Land Records of Frederick County, containing in the aggregate 92.364 acres of land more or less, and more particularly described on three sheets attached hereto and made a part hereof, together with the buildings and improvements thereon.
To be used exclusively for the following purposes (see instruction No. 3): Military Reservation and Airport.

3. To have and to hold the said premises with their appurtenances for the term beginning October 9, 1940 and ending with July 30, 1941.

A similar lease had existed with the State of Maryland, which used the property at least 2 weeks each year to train its 104th Aero Squadron, Maryland National Guard.

The above lease paved the way for government control of the former city airport. The Cadet Pilot Training Program was begun in 1940 and continued until December 1941.

In 1943, the government purchased 154 acres encompassing the original 90 acres and established Camp Detrick, perpetuating the name, Detrick Field.

Old aerial view of Fort Detrick. The main gate is still off of West 7th Street, which runs diagonally acros the bottom right corner of the photograph. The baseball fields are now the Blue and Gray Field in front of the Headquarters, U.S. Army Garrison and U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command.

Old aerial view of Fort Detrick. The main gate is still off of West 7th Street, which runs diagonally acros the bottom right corner of the photograph. The baseball fields are now the Blue and Gray Field in front of the Headquarters, U.S. Army Garrison and U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command.

In September 1946, an additional 147 acres were purchased to increase the size of the original Area A location. At the same time 398 acres located west of Area A, but not contiguous to this area, were purchased to provide a test area. This parcel was located west of Rosemont Avenue, then Yellow Springs Pike, bordering Montevue Lane on the south, near the old Alms House, north by Kemp Lane and Rocky Springs Road and the Krantz family property along today's Shookstown Road. It was named Area B.

In 1952, the Army purchased 502.76 acres of land located between West 7th Street and Opossumtown Pike to expand the permanent research and development facilities. It included property formerly owned by C. Kemp (32.34 acres), P. Willard (7.9 acres), S. M. Maples (47.09 acres), S. J. Beall (100.38 acres), G. W. Young (81.99 acres) and Mrs. Richard F. Nallin (262.79 acres).

Fort Detrick then added a parcel of less than 3 acres along the Rosemont Avenue fence in 1962 completing the total land area for the current Fort Detrick.

Camp Detrick was designated a permanent installation for peacetime biological research and development shortly after World War II, but that status was not solidified until 1956, when it became Fort Detrick.

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