Civil War Union Camp Latham Plaque

Has anyone ever told you about the time Los Angeles was practically underwater? We’re standing before the Civil War Union Camp Latham Plaque, a reminder of a fascinating and often overlooked piece of Los Angeles history. Camp Latham itself is long gone. But this plaque commemorates the Union soldiers who camped here, braving floods, Confederate sympathizers, and even the occasional rogue camel. The camp was established in the fall of 1861, a reaction to rising pro-Confederate sentiments in Southern California. Named for Senator Milton S. Latham, the camp housed over a thousand Union volunteers. Imagine them arriving after an 18-mile march from San Pedro, setting up tents near present-day Culver City. They found themselves not on a battlefield but in a landscape transformed by relentless rain. The winter of 1861-1862 was one of the worst in California history. Rivers overflowed, roads became impassable, and Camp Latham became a muddy island in a flooded landscape. Yet, amid the downpour, life at Camp Latham went on. Soldiers drilled, skirmished with local Confederate sympathizers, and even hosted a Fourth of July celebration complete with a 100-gun salute. For a brief period, Camp Latham even housed camels from the short-lived U.S. Camel Corps. Imagine these desert animals adding to the surreal landscape of a flooded Los Angeles plain. By the fall of 1862, the troops moved to what is now Drum Barracks in Wilmington. Camp Latham faded into memory, leaving behind only stories and, eventually, this plaque. So next time you’re in Culver City, remember the Civil War Union Camp Latham Plaque. It’s a testament to a time when Los Angeles was a very different place, a place where Union soldiers weathered storms both literal and political.