Still Pictures Aerial Photography in Record Group 156: Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance
Photographs of Arsenals, Ordnance Manufacturing Plants, and Ordnance Installations, ca. 1900 - ca. 1934 (156-PB)
These photographs, along with the photos in RG 156, Series PA, constitute a large collection of photos relating to the manufacture and storage of Army ordnance and related equipment. This group of photos was maintained by the Office of the Inspector of Ordnance; for more information about the Ordnance Department, see the description for Record Group 156. The majority of the photographs in this series cover the World War I period, when American ordnance manufacturing accelerated. Typical of these photographs are views of construction of ordnance plants, scenes of manufacture in various sections of the plants, and ordnance buildings. Of interest in this series are views of an Army ordnance exhibit at Caldwell, NJ (box 2, folder B), an ordnance parade at the Baldwin Locomotive Works (box 2, folder H), an aerial view of Paris, France showing the Arc de Triomphe (box 2, folder S), and an aerial view of Washington, D.C. showing the Capitol, Union Station, and the Library of Congress (box 4, folder X). Approximately half of the photographs contain captions. Reference Note: Photographs with an "x" preceding the five-digit number found on the front of the prints refer to RG 111, Series SC photo numbers. Please use the 111-SC number when citing. The finding aid for the series is available in the Still Pictures Research Room.
Photographs of the Picric Acid Plant in Brunswick, Georgia, 1920 (156-BG)
This series of photographs was taken at the Picric Acid Plant in Brunswick, Georgia. The employees presumably lived and worked on the grounds, because most of the images are of interior and exterior views of bunk houses, baths, recreation buildings, commissaries, stores, post offices, hospitals, kitchens, and offices. Office workers, and grounds are also shown. Separate housing areas for Puerto Ricans, Negroes, and Whites are shown. There is one aerial- panoramic view of the entire grounds taken from the power house smoke stack; this aerial panorama is divided into nine individual views. Miscellaneous items seen in this series include a pot-belly stove, old office equipment, and a vintage fire truck.
Photos of Arsenals, Ordnance Plants, and Ordnance Installations, 1861 - 1931 (156-PA)
These photographs, collected by the Office of the Inspector of Ordnance, document the level of involvement of United States military and civilian institutions in ordnance manufacture, storage, repair and training. Included in these photographs are views of civilian companies involved in ordnance manufacture during World War I, arsenals on military bases, and Army ordnance training schools and depots. Photographs in this series also document the construction of these buildings. Many of the photographs contain notations indicating they were enclosures to correspondence submitted to the War Department; correspondence numbers are provided on the backs of these prints. Of interest are views of the Benecia, CA arsenal from 1861 to 1931 (box 1, folder K), panoramic views of the Dodge Brothers plant under construction in 1918 (roller drawer H/2/4/4), a panoramic view of the ROTC class of Cornell University during World War I (H/2/4/4), the steps involved in the production of 155mm shells (box 4, folder M), aerial bomb manufacture at Marlin-Rockwell Co. (box 6, folder F), tractor and truck manufacture at Maxwells-Chalmers (box 6, folder J), and an aerial view of the New York City skyline (box 7, folder E). About half of the photos contain captions. For related photographs collected by the Office of the Inspector of Ordnance, see the description for RG 156, Series PB. REFERENCE NOTE: Photographs with a "x" preceding the five-digit number found on the front of the print are Army Signal Corps (RG 111, Series SC) photo numbers. Please use RG 111, Series SC numbers to make reproductions. The finding aid for the series is available in the Still Pictures Research Room.
Watertown Arsenal, 1856 - 1967 (156-WAP)
Prints of items in 156-WA, 156-WAN and other sources, some of which are now missing from the negative files, and a few maps and related textual records. Subjects include aerial views of the arsenal, exteriors and interiors of buildings, gates and fences, guns and gun mounts, grounds, historical pictures of the arsenal, historic cannon, machinery, panoramas, unidentified persons, scale models, shop interiors, small arms, snow scenes, storage, testing laboratories and transportation. Series includes a photo of the caisson used in FDR's funeral after years of storage, a tests of the "Atomic Cannon" in Nevada, a display of a small missile on a mobile launcher and a color view of a large rocket shortly after lift-off. Negatives for some of the items are in 156-WA and 156-WAN. Maps show the layout of the arsenal and stages of land acquisition. Papers list commanding officers and outline the arsenal's history. Also included are five maps and twenty-five textual material.
Watertown Arsenal, 1893 - 1957 (156-WAN)
Copy negatives apparently made by Watertown Arsenal from earlier materials, some in other Watertown Arsenal subseries, that show aerial views, building exteriors and construction, fences and gates, foundry, grounds, guns and gun mounts, laboratory, machines, panoramic views of the post, quarters, storage and transport at Watertown Arsenal. Prints of many of the images are in 156-WAP. There are prints of some items.
Watertown Arsenal and Army Material Research Center, 1918 - 1919 (156-WAOL)
Large black and white and color prints, most mounted, showing activities, personnel, items manufactured by Watertown Arsenal and testing by AMMRC. Included are machinery and processes used in manufacturing and testing, employees at work and test comparison photographs. There are a few snap shots of an identified social gathering. The "Atomic Cannon" is dramatically shown in a test in Nevada. Also included are some much older portraits of identified officers and a group of unidentified officers, probably students, in WW I. An aerial view of the arsenal grounds after 1950 is also included. There were no negatives with the accession. The finding aid for the series is available in the Still Pictures Research Room.