Camp Naco Master Plan
Naco, Arizona
Camp Naco, in the Arizona borderlands, has borne witness to history: as an indigenous homeland, Buffalo Soldier base camp, Mexican Revolution battlefield, and contested territory in World War I.
SALT worked with the Naco Heritage Alliance to establish a master plan transforming the camp into a site for cultural and ecological preservation.
A Destination in the Borderlands
In a rural region where infrastructure and investment are currently scarce, Camp Naco will draw visitors for tourism, cultural exchange, and research. The master plan anticipates a future library, museum, meeting spaces, artist spaces, and residency spaces for scholars.
Working with Wilder Landscape Architects, SALT established a landscape approach that intensively conserves water and restores desert habitat. A proposed bird observation deck and community gardens will invite visitors to learn about the local flora and fauna. Through event programming, exhibitions, and demonstration projects, ecological learning will be intertwined with the transmission of historic knowledge.
A Nuanced History at Risk
Camp Naco is located along the present-day US-Mexico border, on the ancestral lands of indigenous peoples including the Sobaipuri and Chiricahua Apache. It was first established to defend the border in response to the Mexican Revolution, and was manned by Black U.S. Army regiments known as the Buffalo Soldiers.
While other camps were built from easily disassembled materials, Camp Naco was constructed from adobe bricks made on site. It is therefore the only enduring border outpost from this era. As the camp fell into ruin over many decades, a passionate coalition of archaeologists, historians, Buffalo Soldiers, and local residents emerged to draw attention and resources to the site.
Rediscovering Camp Naco
In response to grassroots preservation efforts, the City of Bisbee purchased Camp Naco in 2018. In 2022, the Mellon Foundation and State of Arizona awarded funding for the camp’s rehabilitation. SALT participated in the master plan, a first step towards the camp’s transformation.
Beginning with an open visioning process, the planning team asked stakeholders and community members which future uses at the camp would best embody the site’s heritage and potential. These dialogues resulted in a master plan that sets out strategies for historic preservation and interpretation, but also goes further by exploring opportunities for positive impact on the local trans-border economy and ecology.
Master Planning Process
"Camp Naco is an important physical reminder of the legacy and contributions of African American Buffalo Soldier regiments who—in spite of serving in a segregated military—protected America’s economic and political interests as the railroads expanded westward and Mexico experienced political unrest in the early decades of the 20th century. With support and partnerships, Camp Naco can once again play a critical role by providing needed community and educational services while highlighting the full history of the many peoples who have shaped this region."
— Katherine Malone-France,
Chief Preservation Officer
National Trust for Historic Preservation
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