The 1911 National Guard Encampment in Selinsgrove Pa

July 23rd-29th 1911
National Guard Third Brigade Encampment, Held at Selinsgrove Pennsylvania

The camp was named Camp Ezra H. Rippel

In 1911 there were four annual National Guard  encampments :
First Brigade, Mount Gretna Pa
Second Brigade, Indiana Pa
Third Brigade, Selinsgrove Pa
Fourth Brigade Mount Gretna

Maneuver Map of
Selins Grove (Selinsgrove) and Vicinity
Snyder County Pennsylvania
Prepared for use of the third brigade
National Guard Of Pennsylvania
July 22-29th 1911
Camp Col. Ezra H. Ripple
Compiled and surveyed under the direction of Chas. M. Clement, commanding third Brigade N.G.P.
By Captain A.B. Dunning Company A Engineer Battalion, N.G.P.

This 1911 Map of Selinsgrove and vicinity, shows crops (oats, corn, wheat, rye...), some of the out of town land owners, the "abandoned Pennsylvania canal", Rolling Green, The Selinsgrove and Sunbury Electric Railroad (trolley), grist mill, school, bridges, the railroad, poor house, trin stations...

Battery G 7th Artillery

National Guard Third Brigade Encampment,  Selinsgrove PA

15,000 visitors came to Selinsgrove for the event beginning on the 23rd.

July 19th 1911

Governor Tenor is on the left, with an X over his head.

From the chronology of Selinsgrove: "26th - "Governor's Day.", Governor Tenor, Senator Penrose and others arrived by special train. Nearly 15,000 visitors witness the annual inspection and review. Engineers blow up military bridge and defenses in the presence of the Governor. Beautiful Day.

Firing the Governor's Salute

A public sale of 30 horses used by Battery C, was held at the Keystone hotel after the encampment.

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The Encampment as recorded in the Chronology of Selinsgrove:

 From: Selinsgrove, Penna., Chronology ...1700-1920. (1929). United States: Middleburg post.

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A postcard sent from the encampment

In the annual report of the encampment, mention is made of the sanitary conditions, and clean drinking water, and that there was little to no sickness in the camp.  But the writer of this post card mentions he is "not feeling very good...  got the cramps."

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December 1911

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Selinsgrove Times April 1911

The Lewisburg Journal

Selinsgrove Times, August 1911

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Encamped with the third brigade was:
Company A, Engineer Battalion
Battery C, Field Artillery
Governors Troop, Calvary

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"Troops traveling to Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, can have request read through to Selinsgrove, from all points on the Pennsylvania Railroad."  From the General Orders, No 29, Headquarters of the National Guard of Pennsylvania, 1911

Annual Report Of The Inspector Of The Third Brigade

Following the Encampment at Selinsgrove:

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Governors Salute

The artillery salute is to PA Governor John Tener, who arrived at camp, from Harrisburg, on July 26. View is looking north on Schoch farmland, with the Old Trail to the left.

From the Charles Fasold Collection -

National Guard Encampment, Camp Ripple, in Monroe Township, July 1911. Thursday, July 26 was "Governor's Day" at the camp, as PA Governor John K. Tener arrived to inspect the troops. Tener is the tall gentleman with the white hat band, in the center of the photo.

Governor Tener journeyed from Harrisburg to Selinsgrove by train, and was then driven to the camp grounds. Tener was a one-term (1911-1915) Republican Governor of PA. In addition, he was a former Major League baseball pitcher, and later President of the National Baseball League, from 1913 until 1918.

National Guard Encampment, Camp Ripple, in Monroe Township, July 1911. The encampment was comprised of the 3rd Brigade of the PA National Guard, and ran from July 22 until July 31 1911. Approximately 3000 men were involved in the activities, located in Monroe Township, just north of Selinsgrove, from the current Golden Strip east to the old PA Canal bed. PA Governor Tener visited the camp for an inspection. A sham battle was part of one day's events, with the battle staged primarily on App land, in the area of Monroe Mills, and ranging as far west as Kratzerville.

postcard -

I don't feel very good this morning. Have got the cramps. Had a big rain hear last night. If you was hear, you would hear music until you would be sick of it. Wish it was Saturday instead of Monday."

The card was sent on Monday, July 24. Saturday, July 29, was the last day of camp.