Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

An appointment for research is required. The collection is open for research. No interlibrary loan.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Radford Army Ammunition Plant Collection, Appalachian Collection, McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA. Radford Army Ammunition Plant Collection , Accession # AC 012, University Archives, McConnell Library, Radford University

Acquisition Information

McConnell Library regional history vertical files and Mary Lalone.

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

Custodial History

Materials were originally collected in regional history vertical files in McConnell Library from the 1940s-1970s, and moved to this collection in 2011. Additional materials were donated by Radford professor Mary LaLone in 2013.

Processing Information

Processed by Brandon Edwards and Wes Hess, Winter 2012, and Andy Bristol, Summer 2013, Finding aid by Brandon Edwards and Gene Hyde.

Biographical/Historical Information

The Radford Army Ammunition Plant was founded in 1941 to support America's efforts in World War II as the Radford Ordance Works and New River Plant. In 1945, The works were renamed Radford Arsenal. The Arsenal covers more than 7,000 acres, on two seperate sites, in Southwest Virginia. In 1961, the plants name was changed to the Radford Ordance Plant and in 1963 changed again to the Radford Army Ammunition Plant. As of 2011, BAE Systems took over contract (ownership) of the Plant and is the sole supplier of TNT to the Department of Defense. The Radford Ammunition Plant is currently the primary supplier of solventless propellents and is the only North American manufacturer and supplier of nitrocellulose.

Scope and Content

The Radford Army Ammunition Plant Collection contain booklets such as Highlight of Radford Arsenal from 1955 and Information on Radford Arsenal. Newspaper articles are split into two categories in this collection. The first category are newspapers that show happenings at the Arsenal and major milestones in the early days of operation between 1941 and 1978, whereas the second category are editions of the Roanoke Times created between 1998 and 2000. Other related material found in this collection are a performance review, two safety calenders and a program commemorating 25 years of operation in 1966. 71 issues of the Radford Plant Weekly, the Official Publication of the Radford Ordinance Works, reside in this collection and cover a two year span from 1940-1942. The third grouping of material are deemed to be of research value in the form of books written on the Plant such as The Power Plant by Jeff Schneider and the Millstone Manufacture in Virginia edited by Charles D. Hockensmith. The fourth and final grouping of this collection hold magazines and research catalogs such as Life Magazine from March of 1941 and catalog searches - Farm Security Administration, Radford, Virginia.

Arrangement

Box 1: Booklets, newspaper articles, and other materials related to the Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RAAP)

Box 2: The Radford Plant Weekly - "The Official Publication of the Radford Ordinance Works." A total of 71 copies, from Vol. 1, No. 1 (November 13, 1940) to Vol. 3, No. 45 (May 14, 1942)

Box 3: Books, Newspaper Articles, and research materials regarding RAAP

Box 4: Magazines, Research catalogs, and other papers regarding RAAP