The Fight to Save the Fort
Citizens are urged to rally against the potential closure of Fort Walla Walla, a garrison they view as vital to the town's social and economic identity.
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It is remarkable how indifferent the citizens of Walla Walla appear to be to the recommendation of General Fred Funston, commander of the department of the Columbia, that Fort Walla Walla be abandoned. A few years ago such a suggestion would have aroused a storm of protest as a menace to the prosperity of the town. While the city has reached a state of assured growth that makes it independent, the retention of the garrison is still a good thing for local business and social life. Previous threats to the fort were held in abeyance by the strenuous fight made by Walla Walla's Commercial Club. If the fort is to be saved, citizens should act through the Commercial Club, the city council, and mass meetings to pressure the United States senator to intervene with the War Department.
“The morning and the evening gun and the shrill call of the bugle will be heard no more and that patriotic airs by the garrison band will no longer stir the hearts of our people.”
The transition of military land to civilian use is a perennial issue in Walla Walla, echoing contemporary debates about the repurposing of federal land. The sentiment that a town's prosperity is tied to military presence reflects a specific era of Western boosterism.
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