VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. –
A Virginia historic highway marker recognizing the State Military Reservation Historic District was unveiled April 10, 2025, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Brig. Gen. Catherine M. Jumper, Commander of the Virginia Air National Guard, Lt. Col. Emily Huffman, commander of the State Military Reservation, and Dr. Lisa Vaughan Jordan, Virginia Department of Military Affairs Cultural Resources Program manager, presided over the ceremony.
“Thanks to the efforts of the Department of Historic Resources, many people sitting in this room and the support of many others who are not able to be here today, we gather to place a highway marker that recognizes the historical significance of the State Military Reservation that first opened as the State Rifle Range in 1912,” Jumper said.
“Thank you for joining us today and being the first Citizen Soldiers, Citizen Airmen, cadre, cadets and community members to view SMR’s historical commemorative marker,” Huffman said.
Cadets from Class 62 of the Commonwealth Challenge Youth Academy provided an honor guard for the ceremony.
The marker is located on General Booth Boulevard, across from the Virginia Aquarium. The Highway Marker Program, under the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, identifies and documents Virginia’s significant historical persons, events, and places.
DHR is a state agency whose mission is to foster, encourage and support the stewardship of Virginia’s significant historic architectural, archaeological, and cultural resources.
The most visible and best known DHR system is the stay highway marker system. The first markers were put up in 1927 and there are more than 2,600 markers across Virginia.
“We are all proud to present this marker which will inform all who pass by about the origins, development and historical significance of the State Military Reservation,” Jumper said.
“What makes SMR special is the people. It’s you,” Jordan explained. “By participating and being present today, you are now part of SMR’s history. I want to tell your story. I want people to know about your time here and ultimately all the wonderful things you did. You are part of the evolving militia of SMR and I could not be prouder to be a part of this process.”
SMR is a Virginia National Guard facility located just south of the main resort area of Virginia Beach. The facility was originally laid out on approximately 400 acres in 1911 with construction beginning in 1912. Today, SMR occupies approximately 300 acres with an additional 27 acres leased from the federal government.
SMR is defined by the intact landscape created by the dominant building type, World War II-era temporary buildings, and the examples of earlier 20th century military and residential building types. The post is buffered from the public streets by extensive trees and landscaping, in addition to the required security fencing along the perimeter. The Virginia Guard currently leases a number of the buildings, particularly the WWII barracks, to various military and civilian agencies for training and special events throughout each year.
SMR was originally established in 1912 as the state rifle range. Starting in 1922, the installation was named after the then-serving Governor of Virginia, so it was named Camp Trinkle, then Camp Byrd, Camp Pollard, Camp Peery and Camp Price.
When SMR was transferred to the U.S. Army in 1940, it was dedicated as Camp Pendleton after Confederate Brig. Gen. William N. Pendleton, who served as Robert E. Lee's chief of artillery during the American Civil War. The Virginia National Guard no longer uses the Camp Pendleton designation and now refers to it only by the original name of the State Military Reservation.
The first major building campaign after WWI was the construction of the RED HORSE facilities (1990s) at the north end of Regimental Camp #1 and south of Warehouse Road. The 203rd REDHORSE Squadron is a construction and repair unit for the Virginia Air National Guard and their headquarters is located at SMR. Additional construction projects executed during the late 1990s include an armory at the corner of General Booth Boulevard and Birdneck Road.
During the 1990’s, some SMR parcels of land transferred from the Guard to the City of Virginia Beach. These parcels included acreage beyond the original cantonment area of SMR. As a result, the boundaries of SMR incorporate all the land, with the exception of a small tract south of Lake Christine leased from the federal government, between General Booth Boulevard, Birdneck Road, Rifle Range Road, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Croatan neighborhood. A 14.94-acre parcel of land just west of Headquarters Loop along the property boundary at General Booth Boulevard has been leased to the city for use as a parking lot by the Virginia Aquarium.
Despite the few intrusions to the original plan and subsequent configuration of SMR, the integrity of both the architectural resources and cantonment features dating from 1912-1945 have remained intact and well preserved. As a result, the Camp Pendleton/State Military Reservation Historic District was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register in June 2004 and on the National Register of Historic Places in September 2005 as the city’s first and only, to date, state and national register historic districts.
The State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach serves as a vital training installation, not just for the Virginia National Guard, but for personnel from all four branches of the military, both active duty and reserve, local and state first responders, and a variety of community organizations. Its prime location is just one reason for its popularity however. The facilities and training aides available, as well as the willingness of its staff, make it a vital training location for its customers.
In addition to the 203rd RED HORSE, a number of other units are stationed at SMR and train there regularly, including the 329th Regional Support Group; 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion; A Troop and C Troop, 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment; 1173rd Transportation Company; D Company, 429th Brigade Support Battalion; 576th Engineer Utilities Detachment; Recruit Sustainment Program 9; and the Virginia Defense Force.
The Virginia Guard Commonwealth ChalleNGe Youth Academy, led by Director Jennifer Lanz, is also located on SMR and their cadets are often seen marching around post.
The Virginia National Guard Funeral Honors Team and the Virginia National Guard Sexual Assault Response Coordinator’s office are among those who regularly train there.
In addition to Army and Air National Guard units, SMR hosts active-duty units from all four branches and the U.S. Coast Guard.
It also hosts training by local, state and federal law enforcement officers and first responders. The Virginia State Police, Virginia Beach Police Department, Virginia Beach Fire Department and the Virginia Fire Marshals Academy are just a few of the other agencies who train at SMR.