The History of Camp Naco
Discover the History
Camp Naco is a cornerstone of Buffalo Soldier history in Arizona and represents the proud tradition of Black military regiments after the Civil War. The Camp’s 100+ year-old adobe buildings and parade grounds sit just 600 yards north of the US-Mexico border in the community of Naco Arizona and reside on the ancestral lands of the Chiricahua Apache.
In the aftermath of World War I and the Mexican Revolution, Camp Naco was one of 35 permanent camps established as part of the US War Department’s Mexican Border Defense Project – a plan to build a 1,200 mile-long barrier of soldiers and military camps along the United States-Mexico border from Brownsville Texas to Nogales Arizona to safeguard American citizens and economic interests. During this period, Camp Naco housed African American troops from the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry Regiments, and later the Twenty-fifth Infantry Regiment, collectively known as Buffalo Soldiers, who served their country with patriotism and resilience during a period of racial segregation. Today, Camp Naco remains the only surviving post from this historic border protection effort and endures as a testament to the military, economic, political, and cultural values that define the heritage of this unique place.
The Original Cactus League Baseball on the Border April 26, 10am-Noon Local historian Mike Anderson will be leading a tour of the original Camp Naco baseball field, located at the corner of W. Newell Street and S. Willson Road, and sharing the history of the original Cactus League. The original Cactus League was a loose consortium of teams during the first decade and a half of the 20th Century from Bisbee, Douglas, Clifton, Morenci, Cananea, Fort Huachuca, Tucson and sometimes Naco. Afterwards, the event continues at Naco Elementary where Mike will share a presentation on historic baseball. This event is free to attend, join us!
Contractors Open House Date: Tuesday, March 25 from 11am – 2pm Location: Bisbee Council Chambers - 915 S. Tovreaville Rd. In collaboration with Naco Heritage Alliance and Durazo Construction Find out more about upcoming opportunities at this informal event. We are seeking licensed, bonded and insured contractors in HVAC, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, painting, concrete, windows and doors, carpentry, drywall, and low voltage cabling. Free to attend, refreshments provided.
Date: Saturday, March 22, 6 PM Event Address: Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum Please note: our Fireplace Chat at the Museum has reached capacity, but there is another great opportunity to meet the author and purchase a signed copy of his newest book. Dr. Langellier will be available from noon to 4 at Bisbee Books and Music, located in the Mercantile on Main. Be sure to stop by! Join us for a Question & Answer session and book signing with Buffalo Soldier author and military historian John Langellier, Ph.D. In 1881, the first Buffalo Soldiers arrived in Arizona pursuing elusive Apaches. Over the following decades, African Americans from the Tenth U.S. Cavalry and Twenty-Fourth and Twenty-Fifth Infantry added to the laurels won by the Ninth U.S. Cavalrymen. For more than six decades, Black soldiers served with honor, from campaigns against determined Native Americans to facing dangers along the turbulent border as the Mexican Revolution raged. During the dark days of World War II, they prepared for combat against foes both abroad and at home. All the while, they faced an ever-present, persistent enemy: racism. Author John P. Langellier brings to life the rich history of Buffalo Soldiers in the Copper State. Registration is required for this event, as there are a limited number of spaces available. Register HERE
Register for the lecture HERE
Camp Naco Meet and Greet with Executive Director Jeremy Fricke Wednesday, December 18, 4-6pm Meet our first Executive Director Jeremy Fricke (pronounced Frik-ē) in the Bisbee Council Chambers, 915 S. Tovreaville Rd. Informally connect with Jeremy beginning at 4 followed by a project status presentation at 5pm. Light refreshments will be provided.
Camp Naco Fireplace Chat Bill Cavaliere - The Chiricahua Apaches November 9, 2024, 2-4pm Camp Naco, AZ Registration is now closed, capacity has been reached. Bill Cavaliere will present a Q and A on the topic of the Chiricahua Apaches next month. Following the discussion, Becky Orozco will guide a walking tour through historic Camp Naco, likely the last one before construction begins! Bill is the author of The Chiricahua Apaches: A Concise History, an overview of the entire history of this particular tribe of fascinating Native Americans covering their arrival in the southwest, their culture, their notable people, their many conflicts and battles, and where they are today. Their story is one of perseverance and tenacity, of courage and sorrow, and of triumph and tragedy. A fiction writer could not have come up with a more unbelievable story; one filled with action, interesting people, emotion, and uncanny twists of fate. Bill Cavaliere is an independent researcher who retired after 28 years in law enforcement, during which time he was sheriff of Hidalgo County, New Mexico. Prior to this, he was employed with the US Forest Service in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona. He is currently president of the Cochise County Historical Society and sits on the board of directors of two other historical societies as well. He is currently working on a biography on Naiche, the last chief of the Chiricahua Apaches.
AZ Humanities grant Camp Naco and the Naco Heritage Alliance are excited to announce we have been awarded a 2024 Arizona Humanities (AZ Humanities) Grant of $10,000. This AZ Humanities grant will support the development of the Camp Naco Immersive Experience Mobile Application (app) that will amplify and increase accessibility to the multiple, layered historical narratives of Camp Naco. Camp Naco primarily embodies the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers while simultaneously touching on histories associated with the Mexican Revolution, Chiricahua Apaches, and Paleo-Indian peoples. This mobile app will be one platform of a larger interpretive plan implementing adaptive technologies to provide immersive experiences to a greater diversity of audiences. Find out more about AZ Humanities at AZHumanities.org.
Saturday, September 28, 2pm - Register HERE
Register for this free event by clicking HERE
A free event for the whole family!
