The Glenn L. Martin Company

The Glenn L. Martin Company. Wartime Housing in Middle River. , Housing Shortage , Glenn L. Martin purchased 1,260 acres of waterfront land in Middle River for the location of his new aircraft manufacturing plant. The first phase of the plant was constructed in 1929., The plant's workers traveled from Baltimore City to the Middle River plant by automobile and streetcar. The commute out of Baltimore City along Eastern Avenue was nationally recognized by Life magazine as "Twelve Tormented Miles" due to the traffic jams and poor road conditions., Martin advocated numerous roadway improvements to MD 150/Eastern Boulevard to facilitate his employees' commutes. In response to gas and rubber rationing during World War II, Martin also promoted carpooling among his employees, which also aided in reducing traffic congestion., In 1939, an expansion of the aircraft manufacturing and an increase in the work force caused a local housing shortage. Plant workers took shelter in Middle River's old hotels, rooming houses, cabins, garages, barns, and attics. Some bed space was rented in shifts throughout the day., To house his workers, Martin developed plans for a Garden City known as Martinville. However, the grand plans were abandoned during World War II and most of the development, including the civic center, stadium, technical college, runway extension, golf course, and heliports were never built., Communities , Built in 1940, the Stansbury Manor Apartments on Wilson Point Boulevard were the only part of Martinville to be constructed. After 1940, the Federal government joined forces with Martin to construct economical large-scale housing developments., Designers situated houses within Stansbury Estates (1941) to face shared backyards rather than the street. Victory Villa, the largest development, was constructed along both sides of Martin Boulevard beginning in 1941. Planners named streets in Aero Acres (1941) after parts of planes., Beginning in 1943, apartment buildings became the primary type of housing constructed for wartime workers. The first apartment community was Mars Estates (1943). Victory Villa Gardens (1943) consisted of long one-story concrete block buildings covered with either stucco or redwood siding. Martin's female plant workers used many buildings as dormitories., Other apartment communities included Burkleigh Manor (1943), Edgewater Apartments and Middle River Manor (both 1943-1944), and Oak Grove (1945). Many of the housing units remained occupied after World War II, which postponed the removal of temporary housing developments., Pierce-Cemesto Houses , AS the work force increased at his plant, Glenn L. Martin began an exhaustive search for innovative house fabrication techniques. Architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill designed prototype housing units in December 1940 that used a structural material known as Cemesto. Comprised of asbestos and cement, the Cemesto panels served as the interior and exterior walls of the buildings. Architects used the Pierce-Cemesto house design for the 607 units constructed in Stansbury Estates and Aero Acres. Recognized at the time as an early example of affordable suburban housing, each house could be built in only 35 man-hours. The houses featured a living room with picture window, kitchen with dining alcove, two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a storage area., Daily Life , In addition to the other housing developments, the Farm Security Administration established three trailer-home developments east of the Glenn L. Martin Plant in 1941. Workers constructed 1,700 temporary trailer homes in Middle River during the war years, substantially increasing the population of the area., Resources for families in the Middle River developments included shopping centers, health centers, churches and schools. Social institutions such as community buildings provided activities for both parents and children. Residents organized game nights, and families gathered to participate in their favorite card or board games. Children attended arts-and-crafts classes. Local preschool programs offered childcare while women worked at the plant. As part of the war effort. Middle River residents tended Victory Gardens in their yards, growing their own vegetables. Families met at playgrounds and children played while their parents visited with neighbors. Women in the community also gathered to socialize at coffee houses.