The United States Army Signal Corps established Camp
Murphy as a top-secret radar training school in 1942.
The camp included over 1,000 buildings and housed more than
6,000 officers and soldiers. The camp was deactivated in 1944 after
less than two years of operation. All but three of the camp
buildings have been torn down or removed but some of the building
foundations remain. One foundation structure still to be seen is
the vault to the First Atlantic Bank that was in the Provost
building. This is an intact two-room walk-in vault although the
vault doors have been removed. One of the vault doors apparently
had to be forced open from inside -- there is a man-sized hole in
the roof immediately above the doorway with the concrete re-bar
bent inward.
Updates by Don McGlynn, Palm City, Florida, 8/25/2006: In
addition, on the western side of the railroad tracks, the remains
of the water treatment facility are still visible, although very
run down. Throughout the Treasure Coast and Palm Beaches, there are
still former Camp Murphy buildings in use which were obtained as
surplus shortly after the war. Also, the former USO club buildings
are still standing in nearby communities of Hobe Sound and Stuart.
One of the Jonathan Dickison camping areas is located in the area
that was the Camp Hospital. One interesting fact is that local
legend "Trapper" Nelson was actually assigned to the base as a
member of the military police.
The property was transferred to the State of Florida in 1947 and
opened as Jonathan Dickinson State Park in 1950.
The first stage of the cache takes you to where the flag pole
used to stand. The coordinates listed there are to the final.
You will see "Restricted Area" signs near this cache..do not
worry as this cache was approved by park managers so you are ok to
proceed.