Fort Crowder

Fort Crowder was a U.S. Army post located in Newton and McDonald counties in southwest Missouri, constructed and used during World War II.

Carl Reiner was stationed at Camp Crowder in the 1940s and when he created the 1960s-era The Dick Van Dyke Show, he made the post the setting where Rob and Laura Petrie, portrayed by actors Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore, met; Rob was a sergeant in Special Services and Laura was a USO dancer.

Cartoonist Mort Walker was also stationed there and drew inspiration for Camp Swampy of his Beetle Bailey comic strip.

While the core of the post was retained, many of the wood temporary barracks were declared surplus and sold in a June 1946 public sale held by the U.S. War Assets Administration.

For 16 years, starting in 1957, rocket engines for missiles such as the Atlas, Thor and Saturn were assembled and tested at Air Force Plant 65.

With the end of the North American Rockwell contract, the remaining federal government holdings were transferred to the General Services Administration as surplus property for interim management and eventual disposal.

Waste material generated from the former Fort include aviation and vehicular fuels, oils, greases, metals, paints and solvents.

Cement finishers at Camp Crowder in December 1941.
Senator Harry S. Truman at Camp Crowder.
WACs in mess hall at Camp Crowder.
Sergeant's Club at Camp Crowder.
Cary Grant dining at Camp Crowder