Coffee County enters the Space Age
In the Southeastern section of Coffee Co., is a large and modern Military Facility, called Arnold Air Force Station. This project and the story behind it is the biggest event in local history, since the Civil War. It marks a drastic turning point from a small town, mostly agrarian society of the 1800’s and early 1900’s to a modern era, putting Coffee Co. into the Space Age and ready to advance into the 21st Century.
In 1926, the State of Tennessee set aside a 1000 acre tract of land, east of Tullahoma, to be used as a National Guard Training Camp. It was named Camp Peay, in honor of Governor Austin Peay. In the late 1930’s and early 1940’s, as it became obvious that the United States would soon become involved in World War II, troop buildups started, nationwide. The 1000 acres was expanded by another 85000 acres, and a new training camp was started here. It was named Camp Forrest, for General Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Civil War Confederate General and a Tennessee Hero. The massive expansion was started in 1940, when Tullahoma had a population of 4500. By the time that the first troops arrived on March 3, 1941, over 19000 people had worked on the project, at one time. Upon completion, the total number of people employed, was 35000. Manchester also experienced a similar population explosion.
Although many local inhabitants were employed at wages far above the local rate, the influx of new people caused chaos for the local economy. Anyone with a spare bedroom, basement, attic, or converted garage, could quickly rent it out, usually with no questions or complaints. An article in the Saturday Evening Post, stated that ever haylofts and “pig houses” were pressed into service. Stores were quickly sold out of every sort of food stuff or dry goods. People would wait in line at a restaurant, for an hour or more, only to find it “sold out”, before they could be served. Of course, soldiers and workers needed some relaxation and entertainment, so local entrepreneurs were quick to provide. Many “oldtimers” can remember names like Riverside Inn, Prairie Lodge, Yankee Court, The Hideout, Log Cabin, K.K. Cafe, the Lyric and the Strand Theater. Tullahoma and Manchester were “dry” towns, at that time, so another industry, “bootlegging” became one of the areas most prosperous endeavors.
It was determined that this area of Tennessee resembled the lowland area of coastal Europe, where the proposed big invasion (D Day) was to take place. So practice “maneuvers” took place inside the massive camp and quickly spread out over the surrounding countryside. This further added to the confusion and endless traffic jams on the mostly dirt and gravel roads. “Maneuvers” quite frequently did not bother to follow the roads, but simply cut through fences and farmer’s crop fields.
By May 12, 1942, Camp Forrest also became a Prisoner of War Camp. Over 22000 German, Italian and Japanese POW’s were received there, during the war. Due to the massive drain on American manpower, caused by the war effort, many of the prisoners eventually worked, for pay, in the hospital, bakery, kitchens and automotive shops, of the camp.
As the war finally drew to a close, the camp was closed down, mostly dismantled and sold as surplus materials. Rumor was, that the land would be returned to its original owners. The servicemen (and women) slowly came back home, and unemployment all of a sudden became a problem. Many considered relocating to more prosperous areas of the country, similar to the waves of people that had gone North, during the Great Depression.
However, while the U.S. Military was in Europe, they saw many strange and wondrous things. Airplanes with no propellers, that could fly faster and maneuver better than anything the Allies had. Also Rockets that could carry warheads hundreds of miles, and other “space age” equipment. Since, even with the newly earned “peace” the world situation still wasn’t very stable, they realized that they were going to have to quickly get involved in upgrading our weapons and defense systems.
As part of the “War Booty”, many samples of this new technology along with the testing facilities were brought home. Many Europeans familiar with it, were also invited to relocate here, along with their families. Since the land in Coffee Co., was now surplus, it was decided in 1950, to build a new testing facility here, using the captured equipment as a starting point. The result was another great boom for the local economy, that has been the longest and greatest advancement in the standard of living for the local area, in it’s entire history. Arnold Center, its many contractors and subcontractors are, by far, the largest employer in this area. It is the most advanced and largest complex of flight simulation test facilities in the world currently with more than 50 aerodynamic and propulsion wind tunnels, rocket and turbine engine test cells, and space environmental chambers.
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