8/27/2012
Historical marker placed this week for WW II iconic Camp Rupert
PAUL – A little-known area near the Minidoka-Jerome County line was home to the largest prisoner of war camp in Idaho. Camp Rupert, housing primarily German and Italian POWs, was used for four years during World War II and included more than 170 buildings on 300 acres of public land.
The Idaho Transportation Department, in conjunction with the Minidoka Historical Society, is recognizing the camp with a highway historical marker that will be placed along Idaho 25 west of Paul near milepost 41. The historical group will be at the highway turnout at 1 p.m. on Thursday (Aug. 30) to celebrate the new marker.
For more information about the Idaho Highway Historical Marker program, or to order a guide to the more than 240 historical markers statewide, go to http://itd.idaho.gov/hmg/.
The wording on the new historical marker is below:
Camp Rupert
1943-1946
Camp Rupert was the largest prisoner of war camp in Idaho, housing some 4,000 POWs. Most were German and Italian.
The Camp was built at an initial cost of $500,000 and maintained by nearly 1,000 army personnel and civilians. Over 170 buildings were constructed on 300 acres, including a field house, hospital, mess halls, barracks, chapel, commissaries, large warehouses and recreation centers.
It also served as a base camp for 24 branch camps in Idaho, Oregon and Montana.