Camp Randall


Camp Randall is an historic U.S. Army site in Madison, Wisconsin, named after Wisconsin governor Alexander Randall, who served from 1858 to 1861. It was a training facility of the Union army during the Civil War, where more than 70,000 recruits were trained. The army also established a hospital and prisoner-of-war camp here.
In 1893 the site was purchased by the state for use by the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Part was set aside as a park to memorialize the army camp. Another portion was used for Camp Randall Stadium, built in 1917 as an outdoor football stadium for the university.

History

The camp was a training facility of the Union Army during the Civil War, with more than 70,000 recruits receiving training there. The 6th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, was organized here in 1861. Later, a hospital and a stockade for Confederate prisoners of war were located at the camp. The 140 prisoners of war who died at Camp Randall are buried at Confederate Rest.
The site was purchased by the state of Wisconsin in 1893 and deeded to the University of Wisconsin. Of the original 53½ acres, a segment was set aside as Camp Randall Park. This now features a memorial arch, two Civil War cannons, and a stockade building.
Camp Randall Park is also the location of Camp Randall Stadium, opened in 1917 as the outdoor football stadium of the University of Wisconsin.
Camp Randall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

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