Fort McClellan Ammunition Storage Area, Building No. 4403, Second Avenue (Magazine Road), Anniston

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS AL-988-A. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Ammunition Storage Area of Fort McClellan represents two eras of building design. Buildings and are standard field depot magazines built in while Buildings and are igloos dating to Both sets of buildings provide information on the evolution and technology of safe ammunition storage between the World Wars. Building was part of the first generation of ammunition storage buildings at Camp McClellan, and represents the World War I mobilization effort. It is indicative of this period's "best practice" in ammunition storage. FORT MCCLELLAN AMMUNITION STORAGE AREA, BUILDING HABS No. AL-988-A {page 2) A. General Statement 1. Historical summary: Building is among the first generation of ammunition storage buildings, cited in the period literature as standard depot magazines.

These were constructed in as part of the World War I mobilization effort. They were conceived of as a building unit within a Field Depot under the auspices of the developing Ordnance Department. Real property records note that the three magazines and were completed in December of each costing A historical report written by Lieutenant John Mumford Palmer in on the History of the Ordnance Depot, Camp McClellan, Alabama, states an earlier completion date for the three magazines. Palmer notes that they were completed in early October of and that a large platform was constructed in November "at the magazines" to accommodate rounds of artillery ammunition that the newly built magazines could not accommodate.

Moreover, the floor of one of the magazines had already cracked under the weight of the ammunition which had been piled to the roof. The condition of these magazines continued to deteriorate according to available records. Correspondence dating to located within the Adjutant General Central Files states that the four extant magazines were temporary structures that had sagging floors, deteriorating support timbers, and roofs in constant need of expensive maintenance. As Buildings and through were the only extant magazines at that time, they were the buildings referenced. Real Property Records Form) from list Buildings as temporary structures.

Current real property records, however, identify all three as permanent buildings and a second set of historic forms also list these buildings as permanent. The correspondence suggested that the distances between this set of magazines should be increased "to provide for the maximum quantities of explosives which may be anticipated in future storage due to changing conditions." This suggestion was not acted upon as the distances between the buildings remained static from to the present. The addition of supports and cables to Building were aimed at rectifying some of the problems mentioned. These buildings are denoted on the map as Buildings It is probable that Building which was first known as Building was the first of the set to be built.

These buildings formed the core of the World War I ammunition storage unit at Camp McClellan, and are indicative of this period's "best practice" in ammunition storage. 2. Architectural character: The real property records do not refer to a standardized plan for this building, and an original drawing was not found within Fort McClellan's engineering files. It is considered a "standard magazine" as one of several identical buildings referred to in period correspondence. This building and the other early magazines are modest, rectangular buildings with gable roofs, resembling small barns or storehouses with few openings in their walls. They are physically ordered one after another in a straight line along the railroad spur.

Only Building a powderhouse, located west of the railroad track at the beginning of the curve in Second Avenue, departs from this geographical pattern. In addition to their homogeneity in form and location, the early magazines' shared chronology is further underscored by the use of color. Each pre-World War II magazine is stuccoed in a creamy beige color and accented by dark brown. FORT MCCLELLAN AMMUNITION STORAGE AREA, BUILDING HABS No. AL-988-A (page 3) This architectural and visual continuity ends where Second Avenue begins to curve to the northeast. The row of early magazines is followed by three earthen- covered, inverted, half barrel-shaped igloo magazines that follow the alignment and cadence set by the barn type magazines. B. Description of Exterior: 1.

Overall dimensions: This one-story building is rectangular in plan, measuring 60 by 24 feet on the exterior. It also has an unfenestrated attic level. From ground level to the apex of the gable, it is 22 feet in height on the east elevation. 2. Foundations: The foundation is poured concrete. 3. Walls: The building is finished with stucco over metal lathe with no ornamental features. 4. Structural systems, framing: The walls are wood frame. The roof is supported by a wood truss system shored up by added metal rods which extend from the east to the west side of the building. 5. Porches, stoops: A poured concrete loading platform is located on the west elevation.

The platform's height duplicates the height of a railroad storage car's bay so that ammunition could be safely off loaded and stored. The platform is open beneath the dock. No platform was necessary on the east elevation as the building was intentionally banked, allowing easy access from the road. 6. Chimneys: None. 7. Openings: a. Doors: The east and west elevations both have centrally located doorways featuring metal doors directly opposite each other. The east double doors have a sheet metal exterior with an interior facing of plywood. The doors on the west elevation are also double, but their exterior is dad in corrugated sheet metal while their interior, almost barn-like, is faced with tongue-and-groove horizontal planks.

The doors are not side hinged but essentially hung on a metal rod connected to a pulley that allowed them to open to each side in an almost drape- like fashion. This device allowed maximum access. When open, the door's lower edges were kept to the wall by metal guards. Kick plates were attached to the interior door bases to discourage wear. An iron latch secured the west doors from the interior while and attached lock handled security on the exterior of the east doors. b. Windows: The east and west elevations have identical fenestration consisting of two small rectangular windows that are positioned under the eaves. Each window has safety bars and is fitted with a storm window . FORT MCCLELLAN AMMUNITION STORAGE AREA, BUILDING HABS No. AL-988-A (page 4) 8. Roof: a.

Shape, covering: An asbestos shingled gable roof with a ridge vent is present. Metal cable supports for the grounding cable and lightning rods are affixed to the ridge vent. In addition, four metal cable supports are located on the roof of the east and west elevations to guarantee better protection to both sides of the building and to help guide the cable to the ground. b. Eaves: The eaves are open with exposed wooden rafter tails. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: The interior is open, measuring 22 by 58 feet. 2. Flooring: The concrete floor is seamed. 3. Wall and ceiling finish: The wall thickness is 12 inches. The interior walls are unfinished. Instead rough boards, 12 inches by 2 inches, placed horizontally from the floor to a height of 6 feet, are nailed to the studs.

Initials and other graffiti, such as notches, were randomly carved on the horizontal planks. Above the board area on each wall, the metal lathing is visible. The ceiling is incomplete. Where it exists, it is composed of tongue-and-groove planking. The holes in the ceiling show the wooden truss supporting the roof. 4. Mechanical equipment: The building was never electrified. There are no mechanical systems for plumbing, heating, lighting, or air conditioning. D. Site 1. General setting and orientation: Fort McClellan's ammunition supply buildings are clustered at the foot of Reservoir Ridge and south of Cave Creek on the northeastern perimeter of the main building area.

Situated at some distance from the military community, Reservoir Ridge acts as the Ammunition Supply Area's eastern boundary and also defines a portion of its northern extent. The pine- forested ridge and the flat lands to the west and north, which are also covered in pines and heavy vegetation provide a sense of enclosure. The perimeter of the area is bounded with six foot high chain link fencing and lights mounted on telephone poles which are equally spaced along the fence's interior. The treeline begins fairly close to the perimeter fence which is capped with spiraled wire. Restricted Area signs are prominent. An open space to the south of the fence is a partial remnant of a historic coal storage yard. Only gravel and some trash dumpsters refer to this former usage.

A railroad spur and Second Avenue offer the only access to this restricted area whic;:h is stewarded by contractors housed in a temporary frame building that lies directly outside and to the south of the enclosure. Building is oriented with its loading dock facing west toward the railroad spur. 2. Historic landscape design: The Ammunition Supply Area has a partially dendritic shape. It contains 17 ammunition supply buildings and powderhouses, that are situated along the northern end of Second Avenue and two unnamed, FORT MCCLELLAN AMMUNITION STORAGE AREA, BUILDING HABS No. AL-988-A (page 5) non-connecting roads. The latter are unimproved. Second Avenue, known historically as Magazine Road, is a paved dogleg, terminating in a dead end.

Further access to the area is provided by a railroad spur that leads northward from the Warehouse Supply Area and curves around the magazines that lie west of Second A venue. The railroad lies within 4.7 feet of the magazines it serves. The pre-World War Il magazines (Buildings are characteristically aligned with the railroad spur and Second A venue, sandwiched between the rails and the road. The former was used to import ammunition in quantity when the railroad was the principal means of transportation, while the latter was probably initially used for service functions. This trend later changed as trucks superseded trains and Second Avenue gained primacy over the railroad spur. Each magazine located by the railroad has a concrete dock to facilitate the unloading of munitions.

Prepared by Mary Beth Reed Historian I Architectural Historian New South Associates September,