“The Italian POW camp at Hereford During World War II”
The POW Camp at Hereford operated from 1942 until 1946 and housed over 3000 Italians. The contributions of the prisoners and the camp itself made quite a lasting difference to Castro and Deaf Smith Co. The program will cover a number of topics; reason for location, camp construction, prisoner routine, and effects on the war effort, and the near-by communities. We will also examine the archeological reconstruction and conservation of a non-existent historic feature.
Joe D. Rogers, Local Historian
Joe D. Rogers is a retired public-school history and shop teacher. He ‘found’ avocational archaeology at the 2000 TAS Field School in Marfa, and has been hooked ever since. Field schools all over the state have provided a shovelbum’s paradise of digging in dirt. Local archaeo-work with TPWD, PPHM, CAR, and the West Pasture crew at M-Cross Ranch are a few of the projects that have kept him occupied. He has served as TAS Region 1 Director, President of both TAS and PAS, and has served on the Board of Directors for PPHM. Joe is currently a member of Texas Archeological Steward’s Network for THC, and since retirement has taught U S History and some archaeology as a Part Time Instructor for WTAMU.
Joe lives in Hereford with his wife Cindy.