Historic Structures Survey at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, Wayne County, North Carolina
Creators: name: Reed-Hoffman, Inez
name: Archibald, Lauren
Publisher: name: PANAMERICAN CONSULTANTS, INC.
Year: 1996
Subjects: Goldsboro
North Carolina (State / Territory)
Wayne (County)
Post-World War II
World War II
Cold War
Historic
Archaeological Overview
Architectural Survey
Heritage Management

description: During October to November 1994, a historic resource survey was undertaken by Panamerican Consultants, Inc. (PCI), at the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The survey was designed to locate and evaluate the significance of historic buildings and structures within the base in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, and Executive Order 11593 (Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment). A total of 166 structures were recorded by PCI at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Only a total of eight, a fraction of the structures at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, dated from the World War II period of 1940-1945. All buildings from this period were built in 1942 and these structures were recorded on North Carolina Historic Structure Short Data Sheets. All other structures surveyed on the base were built beginning in 1956, and these were recorded on abbreviated, two-page survey forms. Of these later buildings, 96 dated from the 1956-1963 period, and the remaining 72 dated from the 1964-1989 period. Certain structures and structure areas were excluded from survey, including modern military housing area, two of the Cold War period (1945-1989) buildings at Seymour Johnson, which were under study by Mariah Associates, Inc., as part of their investigation of Air Combat Command Cold War Material Culture, the Federal Prison Camp, the munitions storage area, the fuel tank storage areas, and all areas behind the flight line in accordance with the request of the Military Police. Since the development of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base during the World War II era (1940-1945), many of the structures from that era have been razed and new additions to the real property stock at Seymour Johnson have been made. Street plans and structures were significantly changed in the 1956-1963 post-War rebuilding period at Seymour Johnson. Except for a cluster of buildings located near the railroad track area, little of the street and none of the building configurations resemble their -1943 appearance. Historic photographs suggest that many, if not most, of the World War II buildings at Seymour Johnson were of frame construction, and wood was used to build the hangars, cafeterias, service clubs, library, base theater, guest houses, latrines, and base chapel. The bulk of Seymour Johnson's structures post-date the Second World War. A number of flight related structures including hangars, docks, and maintenance buildings on the south side of Arnold Avenue have been demolished, and all of the hangars along the western parking apron have been replaced with newer, larger buildings. Upon evaluation of architectural and historic significance, none of the buildings surveyed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is recommended as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. No further cultural resources studies are recommended at this time.