Washington DC’s largest shelter for escaping slaves once thrived in this little-known island

Mason Island’s 1,200 Souls Escape Slavery’s Chains

Theodore Roosevelt Island holds traces of a Civil War refugee camp that sheltered over 1,200 formerly enslaved people. In May 1864, the Union Army established Camp Greene on what was then called Mason Island.

Families who had escaped slavery found safety here, building homes and schools while men worked as laborers and teamsters for the war effort. The camp became Washington D.C. ‘s largest contraband settlement, a bustling community that lasted through war’s end.

Today you can still find stone foundations and stable ruins that tell their remarkable survival story.

Black Troops Left Mason Island to Fight for the Union

In May 1864, the 1st United States Colored Troops marched off Mason Island to join Butler’s Army in Virginia. For a year, the 88-acre island served as Camp Greene, training Black soldiers eager to fight for freedom.

Their departure created a chance for the military to reuse this spot across from Washington D. C. Army leaders knew they needed housing for escaped slaves near jobs in the capital. Union forces kept tight control of this valuable land throughout the war.

Army Officials Turned the Island into a Refugee Haven

In summer 1864, military leaders picked Mason Island as a “general depot for hiring out Contrabands. ” They chose this spot because former slaves could easily reach Washington D.C. for work.

The plan called for an organized settlement with proper government oversight instead of the messy refugee camps elsewhere. The water around the island gave freedom seekers extra protection from slave catchers.

Quartermaster General Montgomery Meigs told his staff to make detailed maps for housing and work areas.

Freedom Seekers Flocked to the Island Sanctuary

Families who escaped slavery came to Mason Island with almost nothing. They quickly built simple shelters using whatever they found on the former plantation grounds.

Most came from nearby Virginia and Maryland plantations, risking their lives to reach Union territory. Army officials gave basic food and simple medical care to the tired newcomers.

Word spread quickly through slave communities about this safe place, bringing more people daily.

Government Built a Proper Camp for the Growing Community

Union officials built wooden barracks and small cabins to house the many refugees arriving daily. They added a schoolhouse, a small hospital, laundry areas, and stables for work animals.

Staff laid out the camp in a neat grid pattern like military camps. The setup eventually held hundreds of people with different areas for various activities.

This big investment showed the government wanted to create a lasting community, not just a quick shelter.

Farming Became the Backbone of Island Life

Former slaves worked the island’s rich soil, growing corn and potatoes that fed both residents and Union troops. The farming program gave refugees steady jobs while growing needed food during wartime shortages.

Workers used tools like those from plantation farming but now earned money for their work. Many found pride in working land as paid employees rather than slaves.

Government officials paid workers between $10-25 monthly depending on their skills.

The Camp Swelled to Become DC’s Largest Refugee Settlement

By late summer 1864, the camp housed 1,200 formerly enslaved people, making it Washington’s largest freedom seeker community. Every shelter overflowed with families, creating cramped living throughout the island.

People packed into barracks, tents, and quickly built wooden structures as newcomers arrived daily. Food handouts became hard as supply officers struggled to feed everyone.

The Mason Island camp grew bigger than all other contraband settlements in the Washington area.

Sickness Spread Through the Overcrowded Camp

Health problems grew quickly as too many people shared too little space.

The small medical station couldn’t handle all the patients sick with typhoid, smallpox, and dysentery. Basic outhouses and limited clean water helped disease spread among weakened refugees.

Children and elderly residents died at high rates as illness swept through the camp. The situation reached crisis levels by fall 1864, turning the promise of freedom into a health emergency.

Quakers Stepped In When Government Aid Fell Short

The Association of Friends for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen sent helpers to Mason Island after hearing about the terrible conditions.

Quaker relief workers checked the situation and quickly began organizing help.

They brought wagonloads of medicine, clean clothes, and supplies to improve cleanliness throughout the camp. The Friends set up a proper hospital and hired more doctors and nurses to care for the sick.

Their help came when government resources alone couldn’t meet the needs of so many refugees.

Life Improved as Relief Efforts Took Hold

Quaker help changed daily life for Mason Island residents within weeks of their arrival. New medical practices and better cleanliness greatly reduced deaths across the camp.

Stronger housing replaced leaky tents, giving families protection from bad weather. Teachers started regular classes for children and adults eager to learn reading and writing.

Under Quaker management, the camp changed from a desperate refugee crisis to a working community with basic services.

Jobs in Washington Offered a Path Forward

The government started a formal job program in August 1864, connecting refugees with work across the capital region.

Camp managers matched workers’ skills with jobs in homes, businesses, and government offices throughout Washington. The system often split up families as adults took jobs where housing wasn’t available for children.

Officials focused on moving able-bodied workers off the island to reduce crowding in the camp. This labor system helped thousands of former slaves move from crisis to longer-term jobs.

The Island Camp Closed as the War Ended

Control of Mason Island transferred to the newly formed Freedmen’s Bureau in March 1865 as the war neared its end.

The Bureau continued operating the contraband camp until June 1865, when the last residents moved to more permanent locations. The closure marked the end of an extraordinary chapter in Washington’s Civil War story.

The former plantation had temporarily housed over a thousand people on their journey from slavery to freedom.

Mason Island demonstrated how the federal government adapted to the massive humanitarian challenge that accompanied emancipation.

Visiting Theodore Roosevelt Island

Theodore Roosevelt Island is free and open 6am to 10pm daily on George Washington Memorial Parkway between Roosevelt and Key bridges in Arlington.

You can only reach it by footbridge from the Virginia parking lot. The island was Camp Greene, where 1,200 formerly enslaved people built Washington D.C.’s largest contraband camp during the Civil War’s final year.

It’s now part of the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, with ranger walks every Saturday from May through October.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• The US military badge so rare, it has a 90% failure rate — only 732 have ever been awarded as of 2025
• The final eight days of Stonewall Jackson, the feared Confederate general struck by friendly fire
• How Chesty Puller became the most beloved figure of the US Marine Corps