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History of Naval Reserve Center Staunton Va.
NAVAL RESERVE CENTER STAUNTON VIRGINIA HISTORYOn April 13, 1947, Naval Reserve officers met at the Veteran's
Home in Staunton to discuss forming a Naval Reserve Center.
Bolstered by support from the Commandant of the Fifth Naval
District, the group located a site at the decommissioned Army Woodrow
Wilson General Hospital near Fishersville. The hospital was in the process
of being deeded to the Augusta County School Board for use as a combined
high school and technical school by the War Assets Administration
(W AA).
Commander Julian H. Black was ordered to active duty as organizing
officer for Naval Reserve Surface Division 5-18. On February 10, 1948,
the Augusta County School Board approved the use of three buildings by
the Naval Reserve Training Center. On March 26, 1948 after further
negotiations between the board, Navy Departrment and WAA, final approval
was granted. Following major modifications to the structure, the center
was commissioned June 4, 1949.
In September 1970, Naval Reserve Group 5- 75 was established at
the center to bring all reserve units in the Shanandoah Valley-Charlottesville
area under one command. Naval Reserve Officer School 5-10 was
established to provide additional training.
In April 1971, the center was moved to 123 W. Frederick Street,
Staunton, sharing the building with the U.S. Postal Service. Unable to
obtain a lease or remodel, the Navy searched for more adequate quarters.
On February 22 1974, the Naval Reserve purchased the Third
Presbyterian Church property at 900 Nelson St. Renovation was completed
at a cost of 425,000 dollars in April 1975. With 13,000 square feet of working
space, the Nelson Street facility consists of three classrooms, seven office
spaces for the assigned active duty staff, a medical sick bay with two well-
equipped examination rooms, a conference room, a library with multi-
media capability and a 1700 square foot drill deck.
Naval Reserve Center Staunton is under the command of Naval
Reserve Readiness Command Region Six (REDCOM Six), Washington
Navy Yard, Washington, DC. It has received many honors including: Best
Small Reserve Center in REDCOM Six for fiscal years 1988, 1989 and
1990. The centers contributions to the local community are significant. In
1990, it spent over 735,000 dollars though salaries and operating expenses.
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OPERATIONAL YEARS
NAVAL RESERVE CENTER STAUNTON AT 900 NELSON STREET.The center was bought on February 22nd 1974 and was disestablished on April 10th 1994. Nelson Street Center, located at 900 Nelson Street in the Sears Hill neighborhood, was originally constructed as Third Presbyterian Church in 1925. In 1974, it was acquired by the United States of America for use as a Naval Reserve Center. It was used for this purpose until 1994, when the Center was closed and declared surplus property by the federal government. Under a caretaker agreement, the City of Staunton utilized it for recreation programs until title was acquired on November 12, 1997, through the Federal Lands to Parks Program through the National Park Service. It was then renamed "The Nelson Street Center". Patrons may access the Center from either Greenville Avenue (Route 11) or Middlebrook Road (Route 252) by turning onto East Hampton Street. |
