John J. Kingman Road Crossing (Historical Marker)

Here follows the inscription written on this roadside historical marker:

John J. Kingman Road Crossing

The Fort Belvoir Military Railroad (FBMRR) was constructed in 1918 when Camp A.A. Humphreys was made a semi-permanent cantonment as the U.S. entered into World War 1. The two main objectives for FBMRR were to bring supplies and troops to camp for its rapid construction and war mobilization and to train engineer troops on the building of railroads, bridges, and other facilities essential to the U.S. war effort in France.

The 4.51-mile, standard gauge railroad was built largely by combat engineers, with some assistance by civilian workers and soldiers from other branches. From January to July of 1918 they laid track from the railhead junction near Newington to the center of the camp.

As Fort Belvoir stored the entire coal supply for the Military District of Washing in Facility No. 2280, a coal yard south of Kingman Road, FBMRR transported coal to other installations in the district as recently as 1985. Though parts of FBMRR were eventually decommissioned, much of the main line remained in use until the last locomotive left the installation in 1993.

Marker Erected 2018 by Fort Belvoir and the Federal Highway Administration.