Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Torpedo Factory Art Center
City of Alexandria Est. 1749
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 30, 2018
1. Torpedo Factory Art Center Marker
Inscription.
Torpedo Factory Art Center. City of Alexandria Est. 1749. Originally called the United States Naval Torpedo Station, the Torpedo Factory was built during World War I, and was specifically designed for the fabrications of dangerous naval ordnance. The building was barely completed when that war ended in November 1919, but it was ready for service when World War II began. It was during this time that Alexandria's development, and role in our national defense, expanded rapidly due to a huge increase in defense workers to the Washington region., During the 1960s, the Torpedo Factory served as a storage facility for the National Archives and it was here that the documents from the famous Nuremburg Trials, which prosecuted major economic, military and political leaders of Nazi Germany after the war, were kept., The Torpedo Factory Art Center, founded in 1974, was the result of the "sweat equity" of local residents who largely converted the vacant and deteriorated building into art studios with their own hands. It stands as one of the nation's earliest examples of the adaptive reuse of a historic building. The Torpedo Factory showcases the community's dedication to investing in arts and culture, and to providing an educational service to inspire the public. This commitment has positioned the City of Alexandria as one of the top art destinations in America., The long tenure of what began as a three-year experiment also illustrates that the individuals who conceived this artist "village," and the organization that was created to operate it, had a workable concept. This major cultural attraction, created form a surplus government building, has long been an anchor for the lower King Street area. It continues to serve as an invaluable arts education resource and contributes to the image of the City of Alexandria as a sophisticated community with vibrant cultural options.
Originally called the United States Naval Torpedo Station, the Torpedo Factory was built during World War I, and was specifically designed for the fabrications of dangerous naval ordnance. The building was barely completed when that war ended in November 1919, but it was ready for service when World War II began. It was during this time that Alexandria's development, and role in our national defense, expanded rapidly due to a huge increase in defense workers to the Washington region.
During the 1960s, the Torpedo Factory served as a storage facility for the National Archives and it was here that the documents from the famous Nuremburg Trials, which prosecuted major economic, military and political leaders of Nazi Germany after the war, were kept.
The Torpedo Factory Art Center, founded in 1974, was the result of the "sweat equity" of local residents who largely converted the vacant and deteriorated building into art studios with their own hands. It stands as one of the nation's earliest examples of the adaptive reuse of a historic building. The Torpedo Factory showcases the community's dedication to investing in arts and culture, and to providing an educational service to inspire the public. This commitment has positioned the City of Alexandria as one of the top art destinations in America.
The long tenure
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of what began as a three-year experiment also illustrates that the individuals who conceived this artist "village," and the organization that was created to operate it, had a workable concept. This major cultural attraction, created form a surplus government building, has long been an anchor for the lower King Street area. It continues to serve as an invaluable arts education resource and contributes to the image of the City of Alexandria as a sophisticated community with vibrant cultural options.
Location. 38° 48.295′ N, 77° 2.41′ W. Marker is in Alexandria, Virginia. It is in Old Town. Marker is on North Union Street south of Cameron Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 105 North Union Street, Alexandria VA 22314, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 30, 2018
3. Torpedo Factory Art Center Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on January 28, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 1, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 302 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on April 1, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.