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Text Box: During the spring of 2006, the Ohio Department of Transportation stumbled across a piece of Camp Sherman history - two gateposts that marked the north entrance to the camp. Sunday, those posts were dedicated at the Chillicothe Veterans Affairs and Medical Hospital's north entrance where ODOT's contractor, Complete General Construction, set them for free. John Doerres, who has helped establish Camp Sherman Inc. to preserve the World War I training camp's history, was at a loss for words Sunday. His father had trained at Camp Sherman with the 332nd Infantry and served in Italy. Doerres daughter, Angela Phillips, and two grandchildren, Amanda and Max Phillips, all gathered at the posts with Robert Leech who was dressed as a Camp Sherman soldier - representing the four generations of the family. "I think it's wonderful," Phillips said of the dedication. "We didn't know him, so being able to see all of this ... it was fantastic. And to be able to share it with my children, it makes it real for them and helps them understand Veterans Day." Camp Sherman was built quickly in 1917 after Congress determined more training camps were needed and Chillicothe was selected as a site. It was the third largest training camp in the country at that time, said VA director Jeffrey T. Gering. "The plot of land the VA stands on today was selected because of its healthy climate, plentiful food and water supplies, transportation network and extensive level terrain," he added. The 4,733-acre camp stretched along 104 from the north entrance of the VA south into Chillicothe. Most of the mounds at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park were leveled to make way for the camp. More than 40,000 soldiers trained at the cap which had more than 40 buildings including a large hospital complex. After the Armistice was signed Nov. 11, 1918 - which was the day later declared Armistice Day and then Veterans Day - the site was turned over to the newly formed Veterans Bureau to construct a hospital to service veterans. The current VA has just 308 of the original Camp Sherman acres and has changed over the years. "Although the structures have changed, the mission of the Veterans Affairs Medical Hospital Chillicothe remains the same - to care for him who shall have borne the battle," Gering said. "These gate posts that stand before us today are a symbol of that mission. Many soldiers have passed through these gate posts as they entered the grounds for training and medical attention. That is why it is so important today, of all days, for us to remember those who sacrifices so much for our country and freedom." Posts from the south side entrance to the camp (two large and two small) still rest near their original location in Chillicothe along North High Street, and the two small posts from the north entrance reside at the Ross Correctional Institution training center. The two large posts recovered last year had been pushed over and buried more than 60 years ago when Ohio 104 was widened. After recovery, ODOT entered into an agreement with Ross County Historical Society, Ohio State Historic Preservation Office, VA, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, and the Federal Highway Administrations to reset the posts. Durable Restoration of Columbus restored the posts. "Ross County has a rich and unique history, so while we work to modernize our transportation system, we also strive to preserve the area's cultural, natural and archaeological resources," ODOT District 9 Deputy Director James Brushart said in a press release. Along with the posts being dedicated, ODOT also is posting signs declaring the stretch of highway that ran through the camp prior to it being a highway as Camp Sherman Memorial Highway. Although legislation existed to name the highway, signs never were posted. This article reprinted from the Chillicothe Gazette November 12, 2007 By JONA ISON, Gazette Staff Writer