Bridesburg in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Frankford Arsenal
1816
In 1816, the Federal government bought land here for a military arsenal. At first the site was used as a storage and repair depot. Soon, arms and ammunition were being developed and tested here as well. During the Civil War, the arsenal ran day and night, churching out muskets and ammunition vital to the Union cause.
Production ramped up again for the first and second World Wars as workers produced millions of bullets a day for U.S. forces.
By the time it closed in 1977, the Frankford Arsenal had served our country for more than 160 years.
When the government founded the arsenal, this area was mostly open land. Soon, other industries located here, drawn by Frankford Creek, which provided water power for mills. As businesses crowded the banks, complaints of flooding grew. In response, engineers began a series of projects to straighten the winding creek starting in 1901.
[Captions:]
The arsenal produced munitions ranging from timing fuses to artillery shells.
In peacetime, the arsenal's workshops and laboratories were used for weapons research.
Early on, the arsenal consisted of a few small buildings sitting on twenty acres of land.
Erected by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation; Delaware River
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Military • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1816.
Location. 40° 0.343′ N, 75° 3.484′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Bridesburg. It is on K&T Trail south of Walbach Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5000 Richmond Street, Philadelphia PA 19137, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Ammunition Bunker (here, next to this marker); The Delaware River brought Philadelphia to life (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Tacony / Wissinoming (approx. 0.2 miles away); Matthias W. Baldwin (approx. 0.4 miles away); Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial Society (approx. 0.6 miles away); Corporal Michael J. Crescenz (approx. 0.6 miles away); World War I Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2024. It was originally submitted on January 30, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 621 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 30, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
