Camp Merritt Articles Navigation

During World War I from August 1917 to June 30, 1920, 1,088,081 servicemen from all over the country past through Camp Merritt, the United States embarkation camp, which was located in the general area where Cresskill, Dumont, Tenafly, Closter, Harrington Park, Englewood, and Northvale are today.
The monument in Cresskill where Madison Avenue and Knickerbocker Road meet and create a roundabout, which goes around the monument, was dedicated in 1924 in honor of the 563 men and women who died in the 1918 flu epidemic while stationed and working at Camp Merritt. The dedication was so important that it was done by General Pershing himself, who had led the American forces to fame and triumph in World War I.
The background is a photo of that day of dedication.
The articles which follow tell the story of the camp as it unfolded in the newspaper during the Great War.

If you want to get an understanding of the effect World War I had on the area, some veterans to note are as follows: First click on Albert Klaiber, one of the early enlisted men who graduated from Hackensack High School and was Killed in Action. Another Hackensack High School graduate E. Frederic Morrow, the first black Presidential aide in the history of the United States under the Eisenhower administration, gives his perspective of the Black community’s view of the Great War at the time on pages 74-83 in his book, Way Down South Up North, copyright 1973.

E. Fredric Morrow’s brother, Eugene Morrow, is worth looking up on his service during World War I.

The description of the negative effects the camp had revealed in the articles coincides with E. F. Morrow’s writing, along with the positive improvement of roads, are reflected in the news articles.

Eugene Breen gives a lot of information on how baseball was a big part of the area at the turn of the century.

Frank Brough’s page has articles on him and reveals the deep sense of patriotism throughout the area. His sister is mentioned a few times in singing and entertaining at Camp Merritt. His story is very moving. Particularly the letter sent home by a nurse brings one to tears.

Harry Doremus must be mentioned for he was so beloved by the area. As you drive around, you may notice streets with his family name. He was 42 years old when he took the Regiment from Hackensack overseas.
By the times standards, he was an old man.

H. Kent Hewitt did escort missions across Atlantic and Mediterrenian and escorted President Wilson to the peace conference. From Hackensack, he became head of all naval forces at the end of World War II in the European Theater.

Click on 1917 prohibition article on drunken driving. It helps to clarify partly why prohibition came about. The accidents and incidences caused by drunken behavior at Camp Merritt, and I am sure camps all over the United States, only added to its passage.

Written by:
Bob Meli
January 4, 2016

Click on each individual year to view corresponding articles arranged by month

Evening Record Articles

Year 1917
August 10, 1917- Dumont Camp	October 18, 1917 p1 and p2- Camp Road cost $20,000 by state	November 17, 1917 p2- Auto buses arriving for soldier transport
September 15, 1917 p1- 7,000 Men Employed	November 8, 1917- Soldiers visit homes on Sunday	December 13, 1917- No guns when war started article
October 11, 1917 p1- 8,000 workers Camp at Dumont	November 9, 1917- Wife Mrs. Wesley Merritt donates $10,000 to camp	December 14, 1917- Soldiers caught with whiskey
October 11, 1917 p2- Workers Auto accident	November 17, 1917 p1- Sunday dinners at homes	December 18, 1917- Christmas Program
October 12, 1917- State to work on camp roads		December 24, 1917- Fire at YMCA hut
October 13, 1917- Auto death of worker charge		December 26, 1917- Stamp campaign to raise 2 billion dollars

Year 1918
January 4, 1918- Entertaining soldiers	May 10, 1918 p4- Court room soldier screams ‘lie’	August 27, 1918- Request for Victrola
January 8, 1918- Soldiers scamming	May 11, 1918 p1- Auto theft	September 4, 1918- Slackers roundup Camp trucks used
January 11, 1918- Soldiers revolver duel with detectives	May 11, 1918 p2- Memorial parade in Hackensack plans	September 6, 1918 p1- Camp Merritt night
January 16, 1918- 10,000 dollars donation effects on Camp Merritt Hall	May 11, 1918 p3- Memorial day parade plans	September 6, 1918 p2- World Series results gotten to soldiers
January 24, 1918- YMCA dedicated	May 14, 1918- Sold liquor to soldiers	September 7, 1918- 5,000 soldiers invalided from improper women
January 25, 1918- Books for soldiers	May 22, 1918- Memorial Day plans	September 12, 1918- Sick soldiers’ food request
February 9, 1918- Real needs or wants	May 24, 1918- Soldiers may not parade?	September 17, 1918- Service notes
February 15, 1918- Entertainment at Camp	May 29, 1918- Memorial Day plans	September 18, 1918 p1- Figures and facts about Camp
February 21, 1918- 40,000 Dollars donated for officers club	May 31, 1918 p1- Parade best in history	September 18, 1918 p2- Continued
February 26, 1918- Thanks for Victrola and Records	May 31, 1918 p2- Continued article	October 1, 1918- Quarinteened
March 1, 1918- Leroy C. Wilsey Camp rec leader to speak	June 4, 1918 p1- Camp Merritt night	October 2, 1918- Arrest soldiers if outside camp without papers.
March 2, 1918- Minstrel show	June 4, 1918 p2- Capt. Thrall killed in auto crash	October 7, 1918- Jellies and jams
March 7, 1918- Concert for soldiers	June 12, 1918- Several hundred more bldgs. By Demerest & racetrack?	October 8, 1918- Epidemic postpones YWCA Hostess house dedication
March 16, 1918- Liquor issue	June 19, 1918- Gov. Edge to speak	October 10, 1918- Largest Hostess house ever built
March 22, 1918- 25,000 Books needed campaign drive	June 20, 1918- Gov. Edge speaks	October 24, 1918- Music Records request
March 23, 1918- Books	June 22, 1918- 2,500 soldiers naturalized	October 30, 1918- Football game Camp Merritt vs. Camp Devins
March 26, 1918 p1- Book campaign	June 28, 1918- Baseball Merritt Camp vs. Oritani Field club	November 7, 1918- Camp worker &singers at HHS assembly
March 26, 1918 p2- Soldiers loud “waiting for trucks”	July 2, 1918- 4th of July celebration discussed and supported	November 9, 1918- Jellies for camp hospital
March 27, 1918- 3000 Books received	July 6, 1918- Request for Federal help for roads	November 20, 1918 p1- Use of Cantonment camps after war
March 28, 1918- Service notes for Camp.	July 9, 1918- 400 hundred carpenters quit want 10 hr. work day	November 20, 1918 p2- Continued
April 9, 1918- Piano needed	July 11, 1918- Naturalize 2947 at camp	November 22, 1918- Football Merritt vs. Fordham @Oritani Field club
April 11, 1918- Minstrel show	July 12, 1918- 8 hr. work day not enforced carpenters back to work	November 25, 1918 p1- 12,000 troops leave camp
April 19, 1918- First Presbyterian Church Hackensack entertainment	July 16. 1918- Camp Merritt singers at Hack. State St. School	November 25, 1918 p2- Convelesent aid
April 25, 1918- Soldiers promoted	July 18, 1918- Singers coming to State St. School	November 27, 1918 p1- Football Merritt vs. Princeton @ Oritani Field club
April 30, 1918- Entertainment	July 24, 1918- Girls entertain at camp Merritt	November 27, 1918 p2- Turkey feast
May 7, 1918- Music Records needed	August 2, 1918 p1- Singer Schuman Heink	November 29, 1918- Football Merritt beats Princeton
May 9, 1918 p1- YMCA speaker	August 2, 1918 p2- Soldiers stole auto	December 9, 1918- Soldiers create riot at dance
May 9, 1918 p2- Service notes	August 8, 1918- Opera star to sing at Camp	December 10, 1918- Jellies
May 10, 1918 p1- Five die in camp no reason given. Flu?	August 12, 1918- Knights of Columbus leader App.	December 16, 1918- Soldier abduction charge
May 10, 1918 p2- Entertainment	August 19, 1918- Race riot at Camp	December 20, 1918 p1- Christmas at Camp Merritt program.
May 10, 1918 p3- Baseball	August 24, 1918- New Ambulances	December 20, 1918 p2- River pollution camp partly to blame

Year 1919
January 11, 1919- Basketball Monster crowd	January 21, 1919- Request magazines and Jelly	January 22, 1919 p3- Flu’s effect
January 14, 1919 p1- Basketball CMS beats Merritt	January 22, 1919p1- Bought liquor for soldiers	January 24, 1919- Call for knitted covers
January 14, 1919 p2- Continued	January 22, 1919p2- Escape from hospital camp	January 25, 1919- 37,000 medals to be given out by soldiers
January 15, 1919 p1- Camp Merritt mentioned inhuman treatment.		February 5, 1919- Selling liquor to soldiers
January 15, 1919 p2- New Librarian at camp		February 10, 1919- Basketball games

Year 1922

March 22, 1922- Camp Merritt to be closed

Year 1924
May 27, 1924- Ready for Memorial unveiling
May 29, 1924-p1-All roads lead to Camp Merritt tomorrow.	May 30, 1924-p1-Memorial Day dedication twenty thousand people attend.
May 29, 1924-p2-Continued	May 30, 1924-p2-General Pershing speech
May 29, 1924-p3-Continued	May 30, 1924-p3-Continued (General Pershing speech)
May 29, 1924-p4-Continued	May 30, 1924-p4-Continued (Freeholder William H. Roberts speech President of the Camp Merritt Memorial association)
May 29, 1924-p5-Continued	May 30, 1924-p5-Continued (William H. Roberts speech finished then starts John A. W. Donaldson director of board of chosen Freeholders speech begins. Then at bottom begins William M. Johnson former state Senator and chairman of the dedication committee for Camp Merritt, a note the Hackensack Library is named after him speech begins.)
May 29, 1924-p6-Continued (Statement on Memorial and also the reason for the dedication mentioned on monument to pay tribute to those who died while serving at the camp; 15 officers-558 soldiers-4 Army nurses-1 civilian-total 578 people.)	May 30, 1924-p6-William M. Johnson speech continues.
May 29, 1924-p7-Songs to be sung by school children. Memorial Day monument dedicated	May 30, 1924-p7-William M. Johnson speech continues and speech with information about how monument was chosen and other facts etc.
	May 30, 1924-p8-William M. Johnson speech continues and has cost and details of the monument.
	May 30, 1924-p9-Johnson’s speech concludes and Governor Sitzer’s begins
	May 30, 1924-p10-Gov. Sitzer’s speech concludes—then flag ceremony begins and at bottom a letter read by Former Senator Johnson Chairman of the committee from President Calvin Coolidge on his regret for not being able to come because of a prior engagement at Arlington Cemetery.
	May 30, 1924-p11-Chief of Bergen County traffic police Peter J. Siccardi thanked and then a list of the attendees at the Knickerbocker Country club along with General Pershing and his staff.
	May 30, 1924-p12-Lewis M. Miller aged ex-president of the Bergen County Historical society who began the Camp Merritt Memorial movement. Very touching words spoken and much respect shown to him in a simple way.

Year 1967

April 3, 1967 - Camp Merritt honored U.S. officer

Year 1999

August 23, 1999 - Cresskill

August 23, 1999 - Cresskill Gardens

August 23, 1999 - A Former camp for doughboys became a home site for GI Joes

August 23, 1999 - Cresskill Gardens fast facts

Year 2017

October 23, 2017 - Camp Merritt World War I event marks 100 years since 'war to end all wars'

October 23, 2017 - Camp Merritt event marks centennial

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