Camp Toccoa at Currahee Project

[toccoapat1951]

Camp Toccoa at Currahee is alive and well. My name is Patrick Hall and I was brought on board in September 2015 as the Construction Coordinator. We have almost finished the Regimental Headquarters building with ADA showers and restroom facilities.We will soon be breaking ground on a 60' X 90' pavilion for our events. We are also sourcing funds and/or materials to build 4 orginial barracks. We have enough of the exterior panels that were taken off when the camp was being dismantled and stored across the road at a local farmers barn. 
We just returned from Heritage Days in Peachtree City and met with several re-enactment groups. We are asking for ideas on what you, as re-enactors would like to have as a battlefield and village? It won't happen overnight, but our vision is to have a world class facility that appeals to everyone. The Currahee experience must not be lost. We will do our very best to make sure that doesn't happen.
We are also looking to add static displays. A C-47 and some vintage vehicles are things we are looking to add.
I will keep you updated as changes take place.
Our web site is www.camptoccoaatcurrahee.com

[Brody]

If you're building a permanent "battlefield", it'd be nice to see some of the temporary plywood structures that we see at most reenacting events built for real. Think about the Saving Private Ryan "Ramelle" set, or the Carentan set from Band of Brothers. I know you probably don't have a budget anywhere close to that of DreamWorks or HBO, but it need not be quite so extravagant, so long as it looks authentic.

Details to consider:
-Actual brick facades on structures built to code
-Structures in various states of damage (some untouched, some partially "collapsed," and some craters with piles of bricks and debris at the rim)
-Cobblestone roads (or faux cobblestone www.budget101.com/content.php?r=502) - at the very least a gravel road, so it doesn't just look like buildings in a grass field
-Various obstacles on the street (wooden hay carts, actual welded steel Czech hedgehogs, a "burned out" car atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/5562287100.html, etc.)
-Prepared defensive positions (sandbag bunkers or trenches)

Things to keep in mind - It's probably not necessary to have multi story buildings, but you could create the illusion of multi-story buildings by building a single story building with walls that extend upward 3 to 10 feet above the ceiling, representing a partially collapsed building. Design the whole layout as a stage that optimizes the perspective for spectators all sitting on one side. Build the road running East-West and make the south side of the road the spectator's side (will optimize natural lighting from the sun to make for a more enjoyable experience and better photos). Include a couple cross streets to add a touch of authenticity to the layout as well as creating a stage for a more dynamic battle. You might be able to save money by using reclaimed/salvaged building materials, especially for the rubble.

I know this probably sounds a little extravagant, and I have no idea what your budget is, but it need not be as grand as the movie sets were. Building a permanent park/outdoor museum at Toccoa dedicated to the veterans of WWII presents a unique opportunity to create a more authentic battlefield than the painted plywood sets that they have at PTC and most other reenactments. I'd be very interested in helping create a layout and designing a few buildings (at least the aesthetics - I'm not an engineer). PM me if you'd like to see drawings of what I have in mind, and I will certainly keep costs in mind to make this affordable.

[toccoapat1951]

This is exactly what we have been talking about. After our D-Day run on June 4th, I will have some free time. Please contact me at 706-297-1385 so we can talk about your plans and I can tell you more about the Camp. Thanks for reaching out, Pat