Laserfiche WebLink
Once a job generator, always a job generator <br />The Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant <br />(TCAAP) was constructed between 1941- <br />1942 to manufacture munitions for <br />American and Allied forces during World <br />War II. TCAAP was built as part of the <br />government-owned, contractor-operated <br />(GOCO) war materials production program <br />established by the War Department during <br />World War II. The Minneapolis-Saint Paul <br />area emerged as a potential GOCO <br />candidate due to its supply of good workers <br />– something employers today still find <br />attractive about the area. <br /> <br />Construction of the plant began in August <br />1941. Each of the three main munitions <br />facilities had five production lines, and the <br />entire plant had a total of 35 lines. The plant produced .30, .50 and .45 caliber ammunition. Production <br />of small arms ammunition began on March 9, 1942, and the plant remained in production for 42 <br />months. Between 1942 and 1945, TCAAP produced all five main small arms types: ball, armor piercing, <br />tracer, incendiary, and blanks. <br /> <br />At its peak, TCAAP employed about 26,000 people, more than half of whom were women. These <br />employees earned a good paycheck, supported their families, and contributed to the local economy. <br />After World War II, TCAAP was placed in reserve status. It was brought back into service during the <br />Korean and Vietnam wars. The factory became inactive in 1976. <br /> <br />When Ramsey County purchased the site in 2013, one of their goals was to return the property to the <br />economic engine it once was, ensuring a new generation of Minnesotans will report to work each day on <br />the site, building a new future for themselves and their families. With clean up almost complete and <br />redevelopment around the corner, we are one step closer to realizing this goal.