Camp Rucker

Camp Rucker is a former United States Army post in Cochise County, Arizona. First known as Camp Supply, it became Camp Rucker on October 1 1878 (some reports list the date as April 29 1879), in honor of Lt. John Anthony "Tony" Rucker. On July 11 1878, Lt. Rucker died in an unsuccessful attempt to save the life of a fellow soldier, Lt. Austin Henely, when the two tried to cross a nearby stream.

The camp was initially built to protect settlers in the area, and also housed mounted cavalry units.

During the 1880s, Camp Rucker became Fort Rucker. It was one of the more important military stations in the campaign against the Apache tribes led by Geronimo and Cochise. A small community grew up around the fort, as the military method of obtaining necessary supplies was through civilian contractors.

The remnants of Camp Rucker are located on United States Forest Service land today. Officers' quarters, a bunkhouse, a sheltered latrine, a commissary warehouse, and a bakery are still standing. The site is adjacent to the south side of the Chiricahua Wilderness in the Douglas Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest; walk-in public access is permitted. Rucker Canyon and Rucker Lake are sites of popular Forest Service campgrounds, and in the summer a firefighting crew is stationed at a nearby administrative site.

Camp Rucker is not to be confused with the active military base Fort Rucker in Alabama (http://www-rucker.army.mil).