Memories of Fort McPherson

Atlanta’s Fort McPherson (Third Army Force Command) will soon find its place in history. It was recently announced that Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem would no long be used as military facilities. Having been born at Ft. Mac, as we affectionately called it, in 1959, I have a life time of memories of the fort and how it has evolved.

I was born on the 2nd floor of the Army hospital which was surrounded by 100 year old Magnolia trees. The hospital, which looked like army barracks from another century, was the birth place of hundreds of baby boomers. As a military brat I not only received medical care there until I was 18, my family would buy groceries from the “commissary,” other items and those high and tight military hair cuts were purchased at the PX (Post Exchange).

For many years I assisted my parents in acquiring medicines from the Army pharmacy. I remember having to take a number and stand in line for what seemed like hours. This was typical for services received from the Army. Hurry up and wait!

The first use of the fort property goes back to 1835 when state militia used a pasture for a meeting place. With anticipation of the Civil War, the old muster grounds in southwest Atlanta became a training ground for troops. After the Acts of Secession, the Confederate government took active charge of the old parade ground, erected barracks and established a cartridge factory to supply the southern troops in this district.

The Confederate troops destroyed the cartridge factory and many of the barracks during the siege of Atlanta and the eventual evacuation of the city.

Following the Civil War, 37 Georgia counties, including the city of Atlanta were organized into the District of Allatoona, with headquarters in Marietta. Atlanta eventually became the headquarters of the Third Military District of the military reconstruction of Georgia.  The last commander was General George G. Meade who remained in command until July 30, 1868, when civil authority was restored.

The fort was named McPherson Barracks in honor of Union Maj. Gen. James Birdseye McPherson, U.S. Volunteers (Brigadier General, USA). He was killed July 22, 1864, during the Battle of Atlanta.

For more than a century Ft. Mac served the needs of 10’s of thousands of military personal and their families.

Over the past few decades the fort was the home of the “war room” an underground high tech facility where military strategies where planned and executed. During the cold war both Ft. Mac and Gillem were assumed to be likely nuclear targets. Thankfully for the city of Atlanta and most of the Southeast we never became an actual target.

On my last credentialed visit inside the compound I visited the old Army Headquarters building overlooking the parade field. In my mind I could see a century’s worth of troop formations and the sound of taps echoing through the age old magnolias.

Long live the memories of Ft. Mac, the heroes and patriots who marched through it gates and those who never made it home.

Do you have a Fort Mac experience? Share it with me.