History:-

The Fort Lewis Military Museum is fortunate to occupy one of two existing historic buildings on Fort Lewis that date back to the WWI era, and the only known structure which remains from the recreational area known as Greene Park.

In 1918, the Salvation Army hired the Pratt and Watson Construction Company of Spokane to build the 150-room Western Stick style Red Shield Inn at a cost of $107,000 to accommodate the needs of the soldier, his family and friends.

After the draw-down of WWI, the Salvation Army sold the Inn to the U.S. Army for only $1 on July 1, 1921. It became known as the Camp Lewis Apartments, then shortly later, the Camp Lewis Inn. When the Camp became a Fort in 1927, it was renamed the Fort Lewis Inn and continued to serve the needs of the Fort Lewis community for years to come.

In 1972, the Fort Lewis Inn was saved to become home to the Fort Lewis Military Museum when the new Fort Lewis Lodge was built near the Main Post Headquarters. In 1979, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, therefore preserving a historically significant post landmark.

The Fort Lewis Military Museum is the only certified U.S. Army Museum on the West Coast. It is an irreplaceable link to the post’s proud and historic past and will continue to preserve the heritage of Fort Lewis and the Army in the Pacific Northwest.