On 6/18/1942 the U.S. took possession of 36,300 acres in Etowah and adjoining St. Clair County to establish Alabama's first Chemical Warfare Center. The area was dedicated on 12/25/1942 and named for U.S. Army M/G William Luther Sibert, first Chief of Chemical Warfare Service and a native of Etowah County. The camp served as a Unit Training Center and a Replacement Training Center for the CWS and could accommodate up to 30,000 troops. Forty-seven percent of all CWS units of WW II were trained here. The camp was deactivated on 12/31/1945.