Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot, Gymnasium, North Main Avenue, Industrial Area, Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant, Hawthorne

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS NEV,11-HAWT,2G-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot (NAD) is a nationally significant military district. It was built for state-of-the-art ammunition storage in the late (criterion C); it is by and far the largest depot of its kind known in the world with magazines and storehouses, 212 miles of railroad track, 418 miles of blacktop, and 232 square miles of land (criterion C); and it is significant for its role in World War II. Producing a vast amount of ordnance, it was THE Naval Ammunition Depot for the Pacific Theater during World War II. Operations have included: production of propellant charges, projectiles, bombs and rockets; demilitarization of all types of munitions; and storage of national stock piles of munitions.

Since the until the facility was turned over to the Army in Hawthorne NAD was the country's largest producer of Navy mines and depth charges. The Depot is also significant for the role it played in the military history of the State of Nevada. It represents 50 plus years of federal military operation in Nevada. The Hawthorne NAO is the oldest twentieth century U. S. military reservation in Nevada. It has been in continuous active operational status since its commissioning in (criterion A). The Depot is the best collection of early twentieth century military, cultural resources in Nevada (criterion C). The Hawthorne NAD represents the largest industrial activity in the State of Nevada during World War II, as well as during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.

The operation has been the local area's major employer and has represented relative economic stability to the town of Hawthorne since its commissioning. The Depot significantly changed the fortunes of the town of Hawthorne. Over 90% of the buildings within the plus acres of the Hawthorne NAD date from World War II or before. The district a s a whole and great majority of the individual buildings within it retain integrity of design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association.

Hawthorne Naval

AfvfMUNITION DEPOT, GYMNASIUM (Building No. 38) HABS No. page2 Architectural Information: Located on the western edge of the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant in the industrial and residential area, building No. OOA38 is approximately 100 yards northwest of the main entrance. A separate handball court adjacent to Building No. 38 was built in (Drawing No. Building 38 is one story and approximately by by 29' high with a hidden flat roof. Considered semi-permanent construction when it was built, the building has a concrete foundation with a 5" concrete slab under pool area. The superstructure consists of 2 x 6 stud walls and the original roof system consisted of built-up gravel and felt over 1" tongue and groove diagonal lumber sheathing on rafters.

The 2 x 10 Douglas Fir rafters were spaced 24" on center then framed into large timber trusses spaced 16' on center. The trusses were supported above the floor by 8 x 12 Douglas Fire posts. The wooden trusses over gym were 9' 6 deep and the trusses over pool were 8' deep. The original roof system has been replaced. The exterior is 1" by 10" V-groove wooden siding pierced by wood framed doors and windows. The tall portions of the building have horizontal siding and the shorter portions have vertically placed siding. The one, two, and three part windows are placed in rows forming horizontal bands. The windows are mostly fixed with one operable section hinged at the top. The placement of the operable part varies depending on the placement of the window and the interior use.

The entrances vary. The two main entrances are on the west and north elevations and are identical. Each consists of double doors each with four lights with four light sidelights and an eight light ransom covering the entire opening. Three other entrances are solid wooden double doors. The entrances have small flat roofed porches with pipe railings and concrete steps. When built the building contained the following spaces: an entrance lobby by approximately a four lane bowling alley by a library (approximately 22' by a reading & writing room (approximately 22' by a swimming pool by a gymnasium by men's and women's lockers, showers, and toilets, and equipment room and filter room for the pool. Oil heat was provided by the central heating plant.

In changes were made to the chlorinating system. In the gymnasium was re-striped to include a basketball court and a volleyball court. In changes were made to the heating system. Changes were made to the bowling alley at the pin end in The swimming pool roof system with the exception of the rafters was replaced in the Drawings dated and were done for the replacement of the roof. A report states that the roof was replaced in and now deteriorated condition. The pool filtration system was replaced in and surplused in HAWTHORNE NAVAL AMMUNITION DEPOT, GYMNASIUM (Building No. 38) HABS No.

page 3 Historical Information: The Hawthorne NAO was created by an Act of Congress following the destruction of the Navy's East Coast main ammunition facility in In million were allotted for the development of the Naval Ammunition Depot at Hawthorne. Starting in plans were laid to increase the size of the depot. In the expansion began in earnest and the depot began producing ammunition and shipping it to classified locations. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, Hawthorne NAO took on new importance; the Hawthorne depot was the principal west coast naval ammunition plant. Over construction workers increased the size of the depot tenfold during World War II and workers produced a tremendous amount of ammunition. Bombs, mines, and rockets were filled and assembled at Hawthorne NAO.

Mines and rockets were also being developed and tested here. The Hawthorne Depot continued to play an important role in the Navy's chain of producing, storing, and destroying munitions after World War II. After W.W.II the depot was responsible for the destruction of thousands of tons of munitions. During the Korean and Vietnam conflicts the Hawthorne NAD provided back-up storage of conventional ammunition and mines for the entire Pacific theater. In under directive of the Department of Defense, Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot was transferred to the Army and became the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant. The architect for the building was the U.S. Navy Burea~ of Yards and Docks with Austin Willmott Earl of 233 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA serving as consulting engineer.

The contractor was Dinwiddie-Monson Construction Company of Los Angeles, California. Completed in September as the Marine Recreation Building, it cost to construct. The property record shows the following four uses: indoor swimming pool square feet); gymnasium square feet); bowling alley square feet); and special services issue office square feet).

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS NEV,11-HAWT,2G-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The U. S. Army is demolishing and removing Building No. 38 which is currently not in use, cannot be used in current state of repair, cannot be safely and HAWTHORNE NAVAL AMMUNITION DEPOT, GYMNASIUM (Building No. 38) HABSNo. page4 economically refurbished for use, and is currently in a deteriorated state. The current state of the building includes fallen ceilings and roof, broken windows, and deteriorated interior and exterior. The building has been declared excess by the government and is currently locked but not fenced. The open building is currently home for several populations of animals and is known to contain hazardous material (asbestos and lead based paint).

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS NEV,11-HAWT,2G-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Ana B. Koval, Rainshadow Associates, P. 0. Box Carson City, NV January 15, HAwnioRNE

Naval Ammu

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