#FlashbackFriday: Getting Back to the Exchange’s Roots
On July 25, 1895, the War Department issued General Orders No. 46, directing all Army commanders to establish “post exchanges” on their installations.
“Post exchanges” was a new term for “canteens,” which began in November 1880 at Vancouver Barracks, Wash. where Col. Henry Morrow, commander of the 21st Infantry Regiment, had noticed that members of his garrison who visited unsavory places in a nearby town often were returned to the guardhouse as disciplinary problems.
Vancouver Barracks, Wash., the Exchange’s birthplace as a one-room canteen.
Morrow decided to give them a place where they could carouse while getting into less trouble. On Nov. 29, 1880, Morrow formerly opened the first canteen, a room in one of the buildings at Vancouver Barracks where soldiers could play cards and shoot billiards while enjoying food and drink. Writing and reading material were also available, so that they wouldn’t have to go into town to buy them and possibly get distracted by temptations.
The Exchange still has a presence at Vancouver Barracks with this Express.
The canteen was a hit, and the idea grew in popularity throughout the West, leading to the establishment of the post exchange system. Those exchanges grew into the Army Exchange Service and then, which on July 26, 1948, became the Army & Air Force Exchange Service.
This weekend, the Exchange will celebrate its 126th anniversary serving those who serve through more than 4,900 facilities, with exchanges in more than 30 countries, 50 states, four U.S. territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa) and the District of Columbia.
There’s even an Express at Vancouver Barracks, now maintained by the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Exchange.
To learn more about Exchange the Exchange’s history, see the interactive history timeline at https://publicaffairs-sme.com/Community/history.
Happy 126th anniversary!