Anyone who has set foot on Camp Perry will tell you that it is an almost magical place, one that leaves you privileged to have walked on its grounds, to have shot on its ranges. Here, Cecil Rhodes illustrates what Camp Perry has to say to those who make the pilgrimage to this historical base in July's issue of Shooting Sports USA:

Welcome to Camp Perry. My silent guard towers and stately flags are there as your honor guard to greet you. My history is rich with tradition, honor, and celebration. I do my duty to help guard your nation. My grassy fields, humble huts and silent berms await you.

If you are a visitor, please walk my streets and note the names from our country's proud past. Read the names of ships that sailed by canvas and the strength of iron men. Note the names of my ranges that tell the stories of those brave men that did not return. Listen to the quiet in the chapel and the whisper of wind under the trees. Walk the streets of commerce and mingle with the crowds. The silent names upon my trophies are there for you to say aloud one more time, and so remember their achievements. I am here for your pleasure. Please cherish your memories of me and the time spent here.

If you are a shooter, you will stand upon my back and know the joy of shooting, alone or with your friends. My targets await you. Standing in line, silently, they are there for you. Twenty-five, fifty, two-hundred, three-hundred, six-hundred or one thousand yards distant, they set the boundaries of your world. They will record your efforts, silently and without judgment. You will smell the smoke, hear the roar of the cannon and see the colors rise each morning. You can say you were here and remember your time with me when you are old and gray. You will return to your home with stories and memories of me, having left your footsteps upon my ground.

Read the rest of what Camp Perry has to say here.