The Rock Island Military Reservation was established near Devils Lake in 1904. The history of the camp dates back to 1867 when Brigadier General Alfred Terry established several forts in North Dakota to protect prospectors heading to the gold fields in Montana. One of these was Fort Totten. In 1873, Rock Island was added to the Fort Totten Reservation. This was valuable as there was a considerable stand of timber on Rock Island. It became known as the Fort Totten Wood Lot. When Fort Totten was closed in 1890, Rock Island was designated for use by the North Dakota National Guard. The parade ground that was created in 1896 is still in use today.
On this date in 1912 the Devils Lake Inter-Ocean noted that the state’s National Guard would probably remain at Rock Island for training over the summer. This was unusual. In even years the Guard ordinarily went out of state for training. The official explanation was that there was not enough money to fund such a trip.
In 1921 Rock Island was renamed Camp Grafton in honor of Gilbert C. Grafton. Grafton had enlisted as a private in Company B of the North Dakota National Guard in 1885, but eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He served in the First North Dakota Volunteer Infantry during the Spanish American War and in in France during World War I. He died during the war and is buried in France.
By 1930 Camp Grafton boasted a water and sewer system, electric lighting, bath houses and latrines, kitchens and mess halls for both officers and enlisted men, garages, and warehouses. During the Great Depression, construction projects under the Civilian Works Administration and the Works Progress Administration added many improvements including a Post Exchange and an athletic field.
The camp underwent many name changes. For a time it was known as Camp Burke for Governor Andrew Burke. Then it was named Camp Lawton for General Henry Ware Lawton who commanded the First North Dakota in the Philippine-American War. It has been Camp Grafton ever since the renaming in 1921. The camp continues to serve North Dakota today.
Dakota Date Book written by Carole Butcher
Sources:
North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs. “Lt. Col. Gilbert Collins Grafton.” http://www.nd.gov/veterans/heroes/gilbert-collins-grafton Accessed 25 April 2019.
North Dakota National Guard. “Camp Gilbert C. Grafton.” https://nd.ng.mil/about/history/campgraftonhistory/Pages/default.aspx Accessed 25 April 2019.
Devils Lake Inter-Ocean. “Guard May Encamp in State This Year.” 24 May 1912. Devils Lake ND. Page 1.