Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) is a U.S. Army installation sitting on Maryland's Chesapeake Bay on 114 square miles in Harford County. Founded at the inception of World War I, APG is the country's oldest active proving ground. APG is sometimes incorrectly spelled Aberdeen Proving Grounds--the proper installation name is always singular.
Note: A proving ground is a location where a theory or idea is tested. APG tests military technology and conducts extensive Research & Development (R&D).
Quick Facts
| Coordinates | 39° 28' 02.43" N 76° 09' 23.54" W |
|---|---|
| City | Aberdeen, MD 21005 |
| Phone | 410-278-2464 |
| DSN | 298-7572 |
History
Established in the fall of 1917, Aberdeen Proving Ground saw to the testing of ordnance materials in an industrialized area. In part, APG was built to succeed the Sandy Hook Proving Ground which had become insufficient for testing the larger weapons that the military was developing.
World Wars
During World War I, the U.S. Government built plants to produce toxic gas at APG which became known as the Edgewood Arsenal. Edgewood produced chemicals like mustard gas and, in a separate facility, artillery shells to fill with the toxins. In total, 10,817 tons of gas were produced at Edgewood before the WWI armistice was reached. APG also includes the Churchville Test Area, a track on which M1 Abrams Tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Humvee's and other military vehicles are tested.
Post WWI, APG slowed down its operations until WWII began and government funding expanded APG's facilities. At the end of WWII, APG once again saw a decrease in usage of its facilities. Aberdeen Proving Ground is Harford County's largest employer and one of Maryland's largest employers overall.
Housing & Lodging
Corvias, the on-post housing office at APG, offers 2, 3 and 4 bedroom houses and off-post single family homes. You can contact them at (410) 305-1076 and check out their website for more information.
APG also offers recreational lodging--the Recreational Lodging Office can be contacted at (410) 436-3848.
Hotels
The following hotels are all within 5 miles of APG:
- Home2 Suites by Hilton Aberdeen, (410) 272-0203.
- Super 8 Hotel Aberdeen, (410) 272-5420.
- Days Inn Aberdeen, (410) 272-8500.
- Hilton Garden Inn Aberdeen, (410) 272-1777.
Financial Institutions
- APG Federal Credit Union; note: The APG Branch and Aberdeen Branch can both be reached at (410) 272-4000.
- Bank of America Financial Center, (410) 272-7290.
Schools
Children living on-base as well as many children living off-base will attend schools in the Harford County School District (410) 838-7300. Any elementary student living more than a mile from their designated school will be provided with bus transportation to and from school.
The same applies to middle and junior high school students living 1.5 miles or more away from their designated school. In addition to contacting the Harford County School District, you may also reach the APG School Liaison Officer at (410) 278-2857.
Higher Education
- Harford Community College, (443) 412-2000.
Places of Interest & Things To Do
The APG commissary features an ATM, Bakery and a Deli. You can reach the commissary at (410) 278-3101.
Major cities are in close proximity to APG including: Baltimore, MD (1 hour), Wilmington, DE (1 hour), Philadelphia (1.5 hours) and Washington, D.C. (2 hours).
The Aberdeen Room & Archives Museum, 410-273-6325, displays records and collections showing the history of the city of Aberdeen. The museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10a-1p.
Morale, Welfare & Recreation
APG's MWR website provides tons of information on extracurricular activities, classes and events happening on site and nearby. You can contact the MWR office on social media including Facebook (Aberdeen Proving Ground MWR, @APGMWR), Twitter and Instagram (@APGMWR).