Named for World War I army Colonel Elmer J. Wallace, Camp Wallace was established as a training facility for military personnel during World War II. The U. S. government acquired more than 3,300 acres of land between Hitchcock and Alta Loma on State Highway 6 for the facility, and construction began in November 1940. Before structures were erected, 17 miles of access roads were built, 29 miles of electrical lines were installed, and a 3.9-mile spur rail track from the main rail line was laid. The site contained 399 structures, including some buildings moved from Galveston's Fort Crockett, such as a cold storage depot, bakery, laundry, and morgue. The camp also had a medical facility, 161 barracks, and a service club. By May 1941 it accommodated 10,250 people, including officers, enlisted personnel, and civilian staff. Training continued through World War II, and the site also housed German prisoners of war. In April 1945 Camp Wallace was transferred to naval supervision and later served as a distribution center releasing veterans back into civilian life. The Red Cross used the site in 1947 after the Texas City explosions, and the U. S. government declared the camp surplus that same year.