Buckner Circle is located on Fort McLelland Army Base, which was closed by BRAC in the 1990's.  The area around the Officer's Housing was purchased by a local development group, who has revitalized the housing area, officer's club, and headquarters building.  Through their efforts, they've also created a new restaurant, an arts area, and cleaned up the golf course. 

Buckner Circle's signature piece is a large concrete gazebo in the midlle of the 10 acre oval common ground.  It is about 20 feet across, and is constructed to be there centuries from now.  The interior ceiling is curved, creating a echo chamber that kids love to whisper in. 

Buckner Circle is right at 1/2 mile around, with the 20 homes facing in from the outside.  (Most of them enter from an alley behind.)  At the top of Buckner CIrcle is the HeadQuarters Building, with an 80-foot flagpole in front. 

 The architecture is Spanish Colonial, with red tile roofs and cement and stucco walls.  The houses were built in the 1930's, and the officer's club was detailed by paid POWs in WW2.  A few POWs are in a cemetary nearby on the base.

In the two views below, you are gGoing away from the HQ, towards the gazebo.  These homes are facing the center parade ground, an open field of grass used for pass and review of the troops.  The streets are lined with 70-year old oaks. 

The pic to the right shows a view from the flagpole in front of the HQ building toward the gazebo.  Behind the gazebo is a shaded cross-street and then a grove of trees.  You can see our home to the right of the gazebo, almost at the foot of the circle.  The deer seemed to like the gazebo, too.  They came from the surrounding wildlife refuge and explored the "people area" at night.

Just ot the left of the gazebo, you can see the officer's club, a high-ceilinged one-story buiding.  The entrance to it is at the foot of the circle, directly opposite the HQ building. 

The building shown below right was the base hospital decades ago, and was converted to offices recently.

There are two styles of homes on the circle.  The 16 oldest were built in the mid 30s, and are about 2800 square feet.  Just after they were completed, 4 more were built at the foot of the circle - a little bigger at 3500 sqaure feet.  Several of the homes share red-tile-roofed garages, and all have a welcoming sidewalk entrance to the street. 

The homes are sturdily constructed, with 14-inch think concrete walls and full basements. Since officers of that time entertained, most have a maid's quarters next to the kitchen, and a butler's pantry.  The kitchens were small, because the lady of the house didn't work in them often.  The living and dining rooms are larger.  The civilian owners removed green shag carpeting to reveal well cared for hardwood floors throughout.  There are coal shutes and living quarters in the basement for the coalman.

We loved living on Buckner.  While we sat on the front steps, we could watch the kids and dog run safely over acres of ground.  Our neighbors were the best, and everyone helped to make it a great place to live.  In the surrounding areas of the base, there were dozens of great areas to explore, or space to run and exercise. 

Grayson used to love running full speed to the "fagpo" and "zebo" (he was only 2),  and Cody loved following him there.

These are some great pics of our home and our time spent there.