About CSUMB

Looking Back

Honoring the legacy of Fort Ord

Motor pool a few yards south of Inter-Garrison Road, East Garrison area, circa 1941

Bayonet training, 3rd street near 4th Avenue, circa 1960

Cal State Monterey Bay has turned 20 years old. The campus grew out of Fort Ord, a decommissioned Army base with a rich history going back to 1917. The base was a major location for basic training, reaching its heyday during the Vietnam War. More that 1.5 million men and women have served here.

As the university moves forward, the service of these men and women will always be remembered. Their legacy is a part of CSUMB’s identity. Today, you’ll still find pieces of Fort Ord’s military past across campus – in murals, in renovated buildings, and even in new buildings such as the Alumni & Visitors Center (the lobby ceiling is made of wood recycled from demolished Army barracks).

We are weaving our own story into theirs. This is still a place of transformation – and will be for years to come.

Check out the slideshow below for additional photos from Fort Ord's history.