A.P. Hill Relocation

In June of 1941, Jack Delano, a photographer for the Farm Security Administration, photographed the area as residents were being relocated. Some of the pictures are displayed below. The captions displayed are the captions provided by the photographer. (Click on the picture to enlarge.)

Jack Delano’s photos can be seen in the Library of Congress Prints and Photographers Online Catalog (Enter “Farm Security Administration” “Jack Delano” “Caroline County” in the Search box.)

In May of 1941, the U.S. government began to acquire land in Caroline County. The creation of the military reservation significantly impacted the residents of Caroline County, Virginia. They lost their homes and farms, churches, schools, businesses, and burial grounds.

The citizens of Caroline County, Virginia, were opposed to the creation of the military reservation because of its negative impact on the community. Eventually, the government got their wishes and moved forward with the plan. The military reservation was named Fort AP Hill in honor of Lieutenant General Ambrose P. Hill.

The Farm Security Administration purchased farms to rent to families displaced from their homes and provided pre-fabricated houses as temporary homes. Since many families did not have money to relocate, the Department of Public Welfare used the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to provide moving assistance.