Frankford Arsenal
Frankford Arsenal | |
Location | Tacony and Bridge Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
---|---|
Coordinates | 40°00′28″N 75°04′05″W / 40.00778°N 75.06806°W |
Area | 99.4 acres (40.2 ha) |
Built | 1816 |
NRHP reference No. | 72001153[1]
100001935 (decrease) |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | March 16, 1972 |
Boundary decrease | December 28, 2017 |
The Frankford Arsenal is a former
History
Opened in 1816 on 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land purchased by President
With the outbreak of the
During World War I and World War II, the arsenal was again busy supplying the war efforts, providing a major source of jobs and income for the region. At times, employment reached 22,000.
The Frankford Arsenal was an entity unto itself, a virtual city within a city, and contained everything from its own police and fire departments, dining halls, motor pool, and a complete medical facility. The Arsenal was part of the U.S. Arsenal System—dedicated military establishments spread throughout the country to perform specific military missions for the Government.
From the beginning, the Frankford Arsenal was involved in the design and manufacture of munitions. As military weapons became more complex, the center's role expanded to cover the development of a whole range of the Army's more advanced weapon systems. The Arsenal contained the world-famous Pitman-Dunn Laboratories along with a number of other R&D departments. Arsenal scientists and engineers designed and developed everything from basic materials to LASER-guided ballistics, all produced entirely in-house from the concept phase to the fielding of the equipment. New portable and embedded computer applications saw the development of the LASER rangefinder, fielded artillery computational machines (FADAC) and radar systems. During the Vietnam War, experiments in caseless ammunition, far-infrared low-light-level technologies, and advanced LASER applications were under development.
The labs were supported by a full range of first-class drafting and machine shops scattered throughout the many buildings of the center. Everything from milling to electroplating, to multi-layer printed circuit board fabrication could be accomplished by "The Shops". The Optical Lens Design Facility was one of the finest in the country. The Optical Assembly shop also refurbished field binoculars. The Fire Control department literally wrote the glass and optics standards used throughout the United States.
Once a newly designed system was manufactured, complete structural and environmental testing was necessary to insure that the device could withstand the rigors of a fielded environment. This was accomplished in Arsenal's environmental testing and evaluation facility.
As the U.S. military–industrial complex grew, the Arsenal could no longer compete as a manufacturing entity. More and more of its programs were farmed out to industry. The Arsenal's functions were eventually transferred to the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. The Fire Control and Ammunition Engineers were transferred to Picatinny Arsenal until they were retired.
During the presidential campaign of 1976, vice presidential candidate Walter Mondale stood in front of the Frankford Arsenal and promised that it would remain open. The Carter/Mondale ticket won the election but the promise was not fulfilled; the arsenal closed for U.S. government use in 1977.
Before closing, many custom designs were developed and tested, including the use of aluminum and steel for the manufacture of cartridge cases.
The northernmost part of the site was assumed by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for use as a boat ramp and fishing spot on the Delaware River. In August 2018, six buildings on the southernmost part of the property were purchased by Alliance Partners HSP for use as a light-industrial and office park.[4]
Munition markings
Each round of ammunition was marked with the headstamp "F A" on its base, denoting that it was produced at the Frankford Arsenal.
Early metallic cartridges produced at Frankford were not head-stamped. These were either Martin or Benet
Match-grade 7.62 mm (.308) cartridge cases were manufactured in limited quantities.
Cartridges conforming to NATO specifications were marked with the NATO cross (a circle containing a "+").
See also
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ Means, Mary C. (1971). "Frankford Arsenal" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form and Addenda. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ "Frankford Arsenal - data pages" (PDF). Historic American Engineering Record. National Park Service. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2012. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ "The Frankford Arsenal Takes the First Steps in Its Third Life". Philadelphia Magazine. 2018-08-06. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- ^ International Ammunition Association (n.d.). "Headstamp Codes". Retrieved October 18, 2023.
Further reading
- Farley, James J. (1994). Making Arms in the Machine Age: Philadelphia's Frankford Arsenal, 1816–1870. University Park, PA: ISBN 0-271-01000-2.
External links
- Frankford Arsenal Business Center
- Photograph of Frankford Arsenal, c. 1900 Archived 2007-01-08 at the Wayback Machine
- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. PA-74, "Frankford Arsenal"
- Listing and images at Philadelphia Architects and Buildings