Ogden Arsenal, Shop Building, Surveillance Workshop, 7863 Maine Street, Layton

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER UTAH,6-LAY.V,1AD-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Building was used to fire and test small arms at Ogden Arsenal. It provides vivid insight into the processes involved in the manufacture and storage of munitions. In addition, this building contributes to an understanding of the U.S. Army build-up that occurred during World War II. History: The introduction of various types of ammunition manufacture at Ogden Arsenal during World War II necessitated the construction of many new buildings which took various forms as related to their specific functions within the overall manufacture and storage processes. Building sat in a relatively isolated area at the intersection of roads that led from the warehouse area, Bomb Loading Plant, and Fuze Loading plants. Small arms were fired and tested in the building.

Workers would probably take shelter from ricochets in the concrete barricade located in the repair room. General Description: Building is a one story gable roofed building located at the crossroads west of the original Bomb Loading Plant and south of the original Fuze Loading Plants. It is elevated on a concrete foundation with a railroad loading platform and ramp on the west elevation and a smaller truck loading platform on the east side. The building contains three main sections: the north side originally housed the office and the south side the inspection and repair room. The repair room originally contained a ten foot high concrete shelter which opened to the south exit. The shelter foundations went all the way to grade under the building.

The central portion contained the bathrooms/lunch area and an ammunition storage room Ogden Arsenal, Shop Building, Surveillance Workshop HAERNo.UT-84-AD Page 2 walls originally were built of wood framing with cross bracing. When the structure was converted into hazardous material storage, the wood frame walls were replaced with concrete frames with red hollow tile infill walls. The elevated addition on the south side has a gable roof and is covered with raised seam metal panels. Originally, a wood frame boiler house with a 35 foot brick chimney sat on the north side of the building. The building presently has a metal stack extending approximately 15 feet above the roof. Lightning aerials extend down the length of the ridge. Building still contains most of its original windows and doors.

The repair room entries on the east and west elevations consist of a single door flanked by two 6 over 6 double hung windows and a 6-pane transom window. The north elevation contains a single door with two groups of three 6 over 6 double hung windows on each side.