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Neosho Arts Council needs you to help save a piece of American Military History. During the Second World War Neosho was home to Camp Crowder and thousands of soldiers received training there. Recently the Neosho Arts Council discovered a mural designed and painted by an unknown soldier who was passing though the camp for training before deploying overseas. Sadly, portions of the mural remain only in their early stages of a detailed sketch, as duty called the artist was forced to answer before he was able to complete the painting.
For decades this mural has been hidden away and almost lost to history. Now, over half a century later this work of art by an American solider is in need of protection and preservation. We need your help to save this mural so that future generations can learn about Neosho’s role in American History. The following work is needed to ensure this mural survives
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Mural Removed May 2025
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Neosho Arts Council has successfully completed the first stage of our mission to save not only a work of art but a piece of American military history. Last year we discovered a mural created by an unknown soldier who was stationed at Camp Crowder during World War II. This past weekend the mural was carefully removed from the structure where it has been for over 80 years.
Thank you to our historic preservation contractor John Clear for successfully removing the 24' x 6' mural! Clear and his team donated all of their labor during the removal process. The panels will now be stored until funds can be secured to begin the next phase of preservation. That includes cleaning by an art conservation expert so none of the artwork is lost along with repairs to ensure stability and longevity, and a preservation treatment. |
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Learn about Neosho’s contribution to ensuring America’s freedom!
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From small islands in the South Pacific to major metropolitan cities of Europe, World War II impacted and changed communities around the world including the small town of Neosho, MO. At the time the small rural southwest Missouri community had a population of less than 3,000. The United States Army broke ground for what became Camp Crowder on 30 August 1941, approximately three miles southeast of Neosho, in Newton County. The first soldiers arrived on 2 December 1941, just five days before the Pearl Harbor attack. Over 352 new buildings were initially built at the camp, but that was not enough and soon more construction was needed. In order to establish this camp, major improvements had to be made in roads, utilities, railroad spurs, sewage system, and numerous buildings including barracks, mess halls and training facilities.
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Camp Crowder was a Signal Corps training facility. This branch of the United States Army creates and manages communications and information systems. Soldiers came from across the United States and were trained in forty different military communications specialties involving radio, radar and telephone operation, and maintenance. In addition to the signal corps training, Camp Crowder also included an Officer Candidate Preparatory School, the first school of its kind in any Army installation.
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At its peak, Camp Crowder covered over 42,000 acres and housed up to 47,000 soldiers. The grounds included six movie theaters, sixteen chapels, one hospital, 15 smaller infirmaries, three dental clinics, a field house, twenty-two branch sites of the Post Exchange, three beauty parlors, many training facilities, and more. Staff published a newspaper “Camp Crowder Message” (later “The Message”) with a circulation of 15,000. In addition to American soldiers and foreign POWs, Camp Crowder also housed Women’s Army Corps (WAC) personnel and American Red Cross offices.
Camp Crowder's Impact on Neosho
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With the end of the war in 1945, activities at Camp Crowder began to wind down. But Neosho was changed and would continue to see change from the impact of Camp Crowder.
In 1956 about 2,000 acres of the former Camp Crowder were sectioned off and transferred to the United States Air Force. That same year, Air Force Plant No. 65, which was a Rocketdyne run site, employing around 1,250 workers, opened. This was a government owned-contractor operated liquid propelled rocket engine manufacturing facility. Rocketdyne manufactured and tested rocket engines at the site, including rockets used in the Mercury and Gemini Space Programs. Most famously, these workers built and tested the liquid-propellant rockets for space missiles Thor and Jupiter, the booster for Atlas rockets, and components of the Saturn V engine which brought Apollo 11 to the moon. |
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By 1963 another portion of Camp Crowder was sectioned off and Crowder College was established. Enrollment recently at the two year community college was just shy of 4,000 students seeking degrees in the arts, sciences, agriculture, and technology.
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The Missouri National Guard still utilizes a portion of the original Camp Crowder grounds for various training purposes such as weapons qualification, engineer equipment training, and field combat exercises. The impact of Camp Crowder is long reaching in Neosho.
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Camp Crowder's Lost Mural
Many of the original wooden structures that served as barracks, day rooms, chapels, and more were sold at surplus auctions in the 1960's. One such building was sold to a family just outside of Neosho. Inside this structure remained a mural designed and painted by an unknown soldier who was passing though the camp for training before deploying to serve overseas. Sadly, portions of the mural remain only in their early stages of a detailed sketch, as duty called the artist was forced to answer before he was able to complete the painting.
Despite the structure being used for agricultural work the mural remained. The carefully crafted grid is still visible which the artist used to transfer his design from paper to wall, the detailed pencil sketches show his true vision, and the pigment of the paint holds fast to this mural of American history.
Now over half a century later this work of art by an American solider is in need of protection and preservation.
The following work is needed to ensure this mural survives
Despite the structure being used for agricultural work the mural remained. The carefully crafted grid is still visible which the artist used to transfer his design from paper to wall, the detailed pencil sketches show his true vision, and the pigment of the paint holds fast to this mural of American history.
Now over half a century later this work of art by an American solider is in need of protection and preservation.
The following work is needed to ensure this mural survives
- Removal from current location
- Create new structural support
- Repairs to original wall board the mural is painted on
- Clean with tested surfactant
- Restoration of paint
- In-paint losses with conservation grade raw pigments
- Preservation treatment and UV varnish
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Above are detail photos of the mural showing both the painted areas and the original detailed sketches by the artist.
A detailed look at a section of the mural. This shows the painted portion and the sketched portion side by side. Some damage is also visible in this image. Restoration work will include measures to prevent the damaged areas from expanding, cleaning of dirt and debris, and a preservation treatment to ensure the paint and pencil markings are not damaged in the future plus protection from UV light.
