Fort Sheridan

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Book Review: Fort Sheridan

Images of America Series

Dianna Dretske
Arcadia Publishing

The cover photo. 135th Birthday of the 2d Infantry 1926















. Front Gate 1965






The water tower - the signature land mark


The Images of America series are short books of photographs about different aspects of the United States, in this case Fort Sheridan. I bought his book because I spent much time there on reserve and civilian employment.

Several years ago the Base Closure and Realignment process closed Fort Sheridan Illinois. The value of property on the North Shore is so high that the political pressure to sell it overruled any objections that the cost/benefit ratios did not justify closing it.

There are photographs of all aspects of military life from the 100 year history of the post, organized by topics. The ce la plus change ce la meme chose aspect was interesting. The uniforms changed, civilian styles changed but still soldiers and their families were making a life where the Army sent them, and this was probably one of the nicer assignments. Especially interesting were the trick horsemanship pictures from when the 14th Cavalry was stationed there.

The purpose of an Army is to go to war. The units and soldiers deployed form Fort Sheridan here served in conflicts from the Spanish American War to the First Gulf War. Many of the units once stationed at Fort Sheridan continue to serve and several are serving or have served in Iraq. The Second Infantry on the cover photo participated in the capture of Fulajah.


The post has now been converted in to a rather pricey condominium named the Town of Fort Sheridan. I drove through it a while back. It is very well done keeping architectural continuity of the orginal post. Behind the main buildings that were orginally barracks there is a nother row of building that were originally cook houses. The ugliest buildings you ever wanted to see. These are now spruced up nicely and sell as condominium apartments at several hundred thousand dollars each.

This was fun trip down memory lane.












Barracks north side Barracks south side and cook houses on right

A privates dream barracks A new condo