Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant
Encyclopedia
The Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant is an inactive United States Army ammunition plant located in the Ramsey County, Minnesota
in the suburbs of Arden Hills
and New Brighton
, bounded by County Road I to the north, Interstate 35W to the west, U.S. Route 10
to the southwest, County Highway 96 to the south, and Lexington Avenue to the east. The site has 255 buildings across 2382 acres (9.6 km²). The site was added to the National Priorities List
as a Superfund
site on September 8, 1983. The soil, sediments, groundwater, and surface water surrounding the plant were contaminated with base neutral acids, metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
s, polychlorinated biphenyl
s, volatile organic compound
s, pesticides, cyanide
, and explosives.
. The Minneapolis - Saint Paul area emerged as a potential GOCO candidate primarily on the basis of labor supply. TCAAP was one of six GOCO plants built to produce small arms ammunition during World War II, and was operated by the Federal Cartridge Corporation
under contract to the War Department.
Construction of the plant began in August 1941 and was completed with three main munitions facilities. Each main facility had five lines of production and the entire plant had a total of 35 lines.
The mission of TCAAP was to produce .30, .50 and .45 caliber ammunition. Production of small arms ammunition began on March 9, 1942, and the plant remained in production for 42 months. Between 1942 and 1945, TCAAP produced all five main small arms types: ball, armor piercing, tracer, incendiary, and blanks. In 1944 the plant opened an important small arms ammunition reclamation center. The design of the .30 and .50 caliber cartridge-disassembly machines by TCAAP personnel in the late 1940s represented a significant technological advance in small arms salvage technology. Development in ammunition salvage begun during World War II continued at the facility during the Cold War
period. The work force reached its peak in July 1943, when employment totaled about 26,000 people, more than half of whom were women.
After Victory over Japan Day
, Twin Cities Ordnance Plant was placed in reserve status and "mothballed". Renamed the Twin Cities Arsenal, it was operated by the US Army from 1946 to 1950, when the installation was brought back into production to manufacture small arms and artillery ammunition for the Korean War
. The Arsenal remained in service until 1957 when it was again closed down. In 1965, during the Vietnam War
, the plant was re-opened for the manufacture of new types of small arms ammunition. It was on standby status from 1976 through 2002. In 2002 over 600 acres (2.4 km²) were declared "in excess" by the United States Army, though Alliant Techsystems
continued to manufacture munitions there as recently as 2005.
On May 10th, 2011 it was announced that the plant's site would be a possible future home of a new Minnesota Vikings
stadium.
Ramsey County, Minnesota
Ramsey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, founded in 1849. As of 2010, the population was 508,640. Its county seat is St. Paul, which is also Minnesota's state capital. The county is named for Alexander Ramsey , the first governor of the Minnesota Territory...
in the suburbs of Arden Hills
Arden Hills, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,652 people, 2,959 households, and 2,228 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,087.3 people per square mile . There were 3,017 housing units at an average density of 339.9 per square mile...
and New Brighton
New Brighton, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,206 people, 9,013 households, and 5,903 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,343.9 people per square mile . There were 9,121 housing units at an average density of 1,373.5 per square mile...
, bounded by County Road I to the north, Interstate 35W to the west, U.S. Route 10
U.S. Route 10
U.S. Route 10 is an east–west United States highway formed in 1926. Though it never became the cross-country highway suggested by the "0" as the last digit of its route number, U.S...
to the southwest, County Highway 96 to the south, and Lexington Avenue to the east. The site has 255 buildings across 2382 acres (9.6 km²). The site was added to the National Priorities List
National Priorities List
The National Priorities List is the list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for long-term remedial action financed under the federal Superfund program. Environmental Protection Agency regulations outline a formal process for assessing hazardous waste sites and placing them on...
as a Superfund
Superfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
site on September 8, 1983. The soil, sediments, groundwater, and surface water surrounding the plant were contaminated with base neutral acids, metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons , also known as poly-aromatic hydrocarbons or polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, are potent atmospheric pollutants that consist of fused aromatic rings and do not contain heteroatoms or carry substituents. Naphthalene is the simplest example of a PAH...
s, polychlorinated biphenyl
Polychlorinated biphenyl
Polychlorinated biphenyls are a class of organic compounds with 2 to 10 chlorine atoms attached to biphenyl, which is a molecule composed of two benzene rings. The chemical formula for PCBs is C12H10-xClx...
s, volatile organic compound
Volatile organic compound
Volatile organic compounds are organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary, room-temperature conditions. Their high vapor pressure results from a low boiling point, which causes large numbers of molecules to evaporate or sublimate from the liquid or solid form of the compound and...
s, pesticides, cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
, and explosives.
History
The TCAAP was a product of the government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO) war materials production program established by the War Department during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Minneapolis - Saint Paul area emerged as a potential GOCO candidate primarily on the basis of labor supply. TCAAP was one of six GOCO plants built to produce small arms ammunition during World War II, and was operated by the Federal Cartridge Corporation
Federal Cartridge
Federal Cartridge is a wholly owned subsidiary of Alliant Techsystems, located in Edina, Minnesota. With a work force of nearly 1,000 in Anoka, Minnesota, Federal manufactures a complete line of shotshell, centerfire, and rimfire ammunition and components....
under contract to the War Department.
Construction of the plant began in August 1941 and was completed with three main munitions facilities. Each main facility had five lines of production and the entire plant had a total of 35 lines.
The mission of TCAAP was to produce .30, .50 and .45 caliber ammunition. Production of small arms ammunition began on March 9, 1942, and the plant remained in production for 42 months. Between 1942 and 1945, TCAAP produced all five main small arms types: ball, armor piercing, tracer, incendiary, and blanks. In 1944 the plant opened an important small arms ammunition reclamation center. The design of the .30 and .50 caliber cartridge-disassembly machines by TCAAP personnel in the late 1940s represented a significant technological advance in small arms salvage technology. Development in ammunition salvage begun during World War II continued at the facility during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
period. The work force reached its peak in July 1943, when employment totaled about 26,000 people, more than half of whom were women.
After Victory over Japan Day
Victory over Japan Day
Victory over Japan Day is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of Japan occurred, effectively ending World War II, and subsequent anniversaries of that event...
, Twin Cities Ordnance Plant was placed in reserve status and "mothballed". Renamed the Twin Cities Arsenal, it was operated by the US Army from 1946 to 1950, when the installation was brought back into production to manufacture small arms and artillery ammunition for the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The Arsenal remained in service until 1957 when it was again closed down. In 1965, during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the plant was re-opened for the manufacture of new types of small arms ammunition. It was on standby status from 1976 through 2002. In 2002 over 600 acres (2.4 km²) were declared "in excess" by the United States Army, though Alliant Techsystems
Alliant Techsystems
Alliant Techsystems Inc., most commonly known by its ticker symbol, ', is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States with more than 18,000 employees in 22 states, Puerto Rico and internationally, and 2010 revenues in excess of an estimated...
continued to manufacture munitions there as recently as 2005.
On May 10th, 2011 it was announced that the plant's site would be a possible future home of a new Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
stadium.