Camp Dennison

Camp Dennison is a historic military base in Symmes Township situated in the Little Miami River valley, northeast of downtown Cincinnati. The site contains various structural remains from its time as a training facility and preserves evidence of its past as a center of military operations.

The base was established in 1861 and served as a training ground for Union soldiers during the American Civil War. Over 50,000 soldiers were processed there, making it a major military facility during the conflict.

The post is named after William Dennison, who served as Ohio's governor and later as U.S. Postmaster General under President Abraham Lincoln. This naming reflects how the place connected local leadership to the nation's highest offices during a transformative period.

The grounds are open to visitors who can walk through the site and explore the historic structures and landscape. Wear comfortable shoes and watch your footing on the grounds, as some areas remain uneven from their original state.

A cemetery on the grounds, the Waldschmidt Cemetery, temporarily served as a burial place for Union soldiers and captured Confederate prisoners during the war. The remains were later moved elsewhere, but the cemetery's role in wartime care marks an unusual chapter in the base's story.

Location: Ohio

Inception: 1861

GPS coordinates: 39.19111,-84.29056

Latest update: December 8, 2025 20:03