Brief Historical Summary of Camp Reynolds

The Shenango Personnel Replacement Depot, commonly referred to as Shenango or Camp Shenango, which later would be renamed Camp Reynolds, in honor of Major General John F. Reynolds, a PA hero of the Civil War, was unlike any other military depot at that time, not only in formation but also in construction.

In 1942, nearly 2,500 acres of rich Pymatuning Township farmland, located in Mercer County was transformed almost overnight into the largest camp of its kind in Pennsylvania and perhaps the United States.

In about six short months, there sprang from the Pymatuning potato fields a vast military installation which would become the parade ground for over a million servicemen. The camp was operated by the ASF 3rd Service Command.

In its short existence, the camp provided many services for the Army. The camp was a Personnel Replacement Depot until December 11, 1944 when the PRD was moved to the Indiantown Gap Military Reservation in eastern PA.

After the camp's closing in 1946 it was dismantled and through the efforts of the local Greenville Business Men's Association the camp was transformed into a residential and industrial development called Reynolds.