​COPYRIGHT 2026 BY NEWS 8 NOW/NEWS 8000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
FORT MCCOY, Wis. (WKBT) — Fort McCoy has built a worldwide reputation as one of the U.S. military’s premier training installations, preparing soldiers for combat across 117 years and every war the United States has fought. But the fort’s story stretches far beyond the battlefield.
The installation near Sparta and Tomah has gone through several names over the decades — Camp Robinson, Camp Sparta and Maneuver Track among them — before being officially designated a fort in 1974.
“It was Camp McCoy at that time, Camp Robinson, Camp Sparta, Maneuver Track, but in 1974 it was established as a fort,” said Melissa Dubois, Fort McCoy public affairs specialist.
The fort’s origins trace back to 1909, when Gen. McCoy — the installation’s namesake — purchased land in the area after serving in the Army and fighting in Mexico.
“We became Camp McCoy in 1909. General McCoy purchased the land in this area. He was in the Army and went to war in Mexico and then thought this was a great area for future military training. He had the foresight to purchase the land prior to the military looking to the area,” Dubois said.
That initial purchase of 4,000 acres grew over time into the roughly 60,000-acre installation that exists today — making it an attractive option for large-scale military operations.
“Anytime the military is looking for a large-scale land acquisition, they look at Fort McCoy. We have that available to them at short notice,” Dubois said.
A history tied to the nation
Fort McCoy’s role has never been limited to military training. During the Great Depression in 1933, the fort served as a supply base for the Civilian Conservation Corps, a New Deal program that provided jobs at $30 a month, along with uniforms, lodging and food.
The installation also housed prisoners of war — including Italian, German, Korean and Japanese American detainees — until 1946.
“We had Italians, German prisoners of war, Koreans and Japanese Americans up until 1948. 1946 was the year they stopped having POWs, but Fort McCoy was very relevant during that time,” Dubois said.
Fort McCoy officials say confronting that history — even the difficult chapters — remains important.
Serving three communities
The fort’s mission today spans three distinct groups, reflected in its logo.
“It’s a triad, and that encompasses the civilians, the reserve component and the active component,” Dubois said.
That commitment to the broader community extends to the local economy. Fort McCoy generates more than $1 billion in economic impact for the region between Tomah and Sparta, and at peak capacity, the installation supports a population that rivals a full-sized city.
“We have over a billion-dollar economic impact situated between Tomah and Sparta, and we have the population of a full city — up to 100,000 people,” Dubois said.
Eyes on the future
Even as Fort McCoy honors its past, leadership says the installation remains focused on what comes next.
“I think it’s always important to look to the future, and we want to stay at the top of the list when the Department of the Army” considers training locations, Dubois said.
With 117 years of history behind it and a mission that continues to evolve, Fort McCoy shows no signs of slowing down.
​COPYRIGHT 2026 BY NEWS 8 NOW/NEWS 8000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
