Even if you’ve lived in Kentucky your entire life, you likely don’t know everything there is to know about our state. History buffs love the Bluegrass State, as there is so much to explore from Kentucky’s past and you can unearth some incredible stories and places that may barely make the social studies books. When you think of POW (Prisoner of War) camps, you probably don’t think of Kentucky, so you may be surprised to learn that our state was home to thousands of POWs during World War II. Camp Breckinridge in Kentucky was one of these POW camps and its history is fascinating and can be experienced firsthand today.

The small town of Morganfield in Western Kentucky may seem like a typical place in our state...
Wikimedia/Nyttend
... but this area is filled with a fascinating history. In 1942, an infantry training camp opened in Union County after just 6 months of construction. The 36,000 acres would soon be home to brave Americans, training and preparing to go to war.
The property housed a staggering 1,800 buildings, including a 2,000-bed hospital, theater, bowling alley, 10 churches, post office, barracks, mess halls, water and sewer treatment plant, laundry facility, restaurants, stores, and more.
Facebook/Don F. Pratt Museum-101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
The property was meant to be active for only five years during WWII, but when the Korean War followed, the camp was used again for training. It remained in the government's possession for about 20 years.
The stories of life at the camp are fascinating and many of them are shared on the Camp Breckinridge Museum and Art Center website.
Photo Courtesy of Tommy Sexton
If you're at all interested in the history of Kentucky, you most likely will be blown away by what you see in these vintage images.

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The buildings on the camp's property were meant to be temporary, so you won't find an intact infantry camp if you visit today.
Google/Jared Barrett
However, one of the service clubs is still standing and was renovated in 1999 to become the current museum and arts center. The history of this building is obvious and thankfully the county was able to renovate it and is now able to share the incredible history of both what's inside this structure and what took place around it.
The museum houses many relics, hosts events, and many other activities. In fact, the story behind the incredible painted murals on the walls may surprise you.
Google/Jordan Baer
All told, Camp Breckinridge was home to 3,000 POWs during WWII. One of them, Daniel Mayer, was asked to paint murals on the walls as a part of the work program for imprisoned soldiers. He spent his time, with the help of a younger apprentice, painting several detailed murals on the walls of the club. He died in Kentucky only a few months after putting down his paintbrushes. He was never able to return home to Europe and his wife was never able to see the paintings before she passed away. However, thankfully, their daughter was able to visit and see her father's work during the museum's dedication ceremony in 2000.
The stories of POWs at Camp Breckinridge tell of good conditions for the prisoners and most of them had actually been forced into the German army after the Nazis took over their countries.
Google/BladeWarFare 2004
A former POW, Friedrich Fuchs, visited the museum and shared that he had been given plenty to eat, he was paid for his work, and the prisoners had been able to participate in activities such as bowling and visiting the theater. Of course, these men still longed for home and evidence of that can be found on this postcard that was sent by a POW from Camp Breckinridge back home to Germany.
Camp Breckinridge, shown below, wasn't the only POW camp in Kentucky during this time period.
Facebook/Don F. Pratt Museum-101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Camp Campbell and Fort Knox also held POWs during wartime. In fact, almost every state throughout the country held prisoners during the war and according to the museum's website, there were more than 375,000 POWs in the U.S. by June of 1945.

Camp Breckinridge in Kentucky was home to thousands over the years, including German army prisoners of war. The camp trained men to head off to war and was no doubt a place filled with brave Americans and many of those forced into the German army who spent time in rural Kentucky. Have you ever heard of Camp Breckinridge? Have you been to the museum? If your family has any ties to this historic place in Kentucky, we’d love to hear about it in the comments section below.

For more information on the Camp Breckinridge Museum & Arts Center, which you can typically visit and hosts events, visit the museum’s website.

And for another historic property in Kentucky that has ties to wartime, check out this interesting and well-preserved park.

If you’re still in the mood for more awesome Bluegrass State adventures, take a look at this video:

 

 

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More to Explore

Exploring Beautiful Kentucky

Lysa Allman-Baldwin | April 19, 2023

Where can we go for great scenic views in Kentucky?

  • The Newport Southbank Bridge (popularly known as the Purple People Bridge), located in Newport is a popular pedestrian bridge spanning the Ohio River and connecting the town with downtown Cincinnati.
  • The Bernheim Forest Lookout, located in Clermont, offers spectacular views for miles in all directions from its perch inside of the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest.
  • Natural Bridge State Park, located in Slade, offers spectacular views of the Kentucky landscape via a gorgeous rocky lookout point.

Read on to learn more about some of the other picturesque places to go for scenic views in Kentucky.

Where can we find distilleries in Kentucky?

  • The James E. Pepper Distillery, located in Lexington, is one of the oldest in the state, its operations dating back to 1879.
  • Maker's Mark, located in Loretto, is the iconic Kentucky bourbon and the company offers tours and tastings, and has an on-site restaurant.
  • The Old Forester Distilling Co., located in Louisville, offers tours explaining the history of bourbon in Kentucky, including the fact that in 1870 it was here where the first bourbon sale in a sealed glass bottle took place.

Read on to learn more about some of the other amazing distilleries in Kentucky.

Where can we find botanical gardens in Kentucky?

  • The Nannine Clay Wallis Arboretum, located in Paris, sits on a beautiful 4-acre property featuring multiple gardens, over 70 varieties of trees, and more.
  • The Henry Clay Gardens, located in Lexington at Ashland - The Henry Clay Estate, is one of the most popular botanical gardens in the state, particularly for their spectacular shrubbery and trees.
  • The McDowell House & Apothecary Shop Museum, located in Danville, is where you’ll find a fabulous garden including a unique medicinal herb garden.

Read on to learn more about some of the other stunning botanical gardens in Kentucky.

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