Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Mountains of Materials and Massive Manpower
Fighting World War I
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, October 7, 2012
1. Mountains of Materials and Massive Manpower Marker
Inscription.
Mountains of Materials and Massive Manpower. Fighting World War I. The concrete foundations you see here were part of a craneway servicing two shipways and launch sites -- elements of an enormous World War I-era shipyard. To speed delivery of cargo ships needed for the war effort, the Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation hired thousands of workers and ordered tens of thousands of tons of steel. The yard's 7,000 workers and support staff used mass production techniques developed by the auto industry to move materials and speed assembly of simple, pre-fabricated steel components. The first ship, the SS Gunston Hall, took just over a year to complete., Calling All Hands, Employees of the shipyard knew they were racing the clock to build the ships needed to win the war. To turn out ships as quickly as possible, the U.S. Emergency Fleet Corporation sought both experienced shipbuilders, and anyone who could use construction tools.
The concrete foundations you see here were part of a craneway servicing two shipways and launch sites -- elements of an enormous World War I-era shipyard. To speed delivery of cargo ships needed for the war effort, the Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation hired thousands of workers and ordered tens of thousands of tons of steel. The yard's 7,000 workers and support staff used mass production techniques developed by the auto industry to move materials and speed assembly of simple, pre-fabricated steel components. The first ship, the SS Gunston Hall, took just over a year to complete.
Calling All Hands
Employees of the shipyard knew they were racing the clock to build the ships needed to win the war. To turn out ships as quickly as possible, the U.S. Emergency Fleet Corporation sought both experienced shipbuilders, and anyone who could use construction tools.
Location. 38° 47.529′ N, 77° 2.375′ W. Marker is in Alexandria, Virginia. It is in Old Town. Marker can be reached from Jones Point Drive, 0.3 miles
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east of South Royal Street, on the right when traveling east. Marker is along the Potomac south of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Jones Point Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Alexandria VA 22314, United States of America. Touch for directions.
2. Mountains of Materials and Massive Manpower Marker
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, October 7, 2012
3. Calling All Hands
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, October 7, 2012
4. Ship under constrution at the pre-assembly yard
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, October 7, 2012
5. Bronze Plaque
A gang of expert riveters could hammer home up to 1,200 Rivets per day.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, October 7, 2012
6. Concrete remains of the craneway
Credits. This page was last revised on January 28, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 19, 2012, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 770 times since then and 15 times this year. Last updated on January 3, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 19, 2012, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.