Many “Rosie the Riveters” (or in this case, munitions assemblers) worked at Kingsbury Ordnance Plant. This photo was taken in 1942. (LaPorte County Historical Society photo — CLICK TO ENLARGE)
Kingsbury Ordnance Plant endures as a fascinating chapter in LaPorte County’s history. The huge munitions factory drew thousands of workers from across the country during World War II and the Korean War, abruptly causing a population boom and changing the
LaPorte County Historian Fern Eddy Schultz
demographics of LaPorte County. Here were folks from all walks of life assembling and packing ammunition — in some cases, powerful explosives.
Case in point of the continuing interest in KOP: WNLP posted a story in 2009 by then-LPHS student Natalie Pritz about the site’s history; to date (including in 2014), 68 people from across the nation and beyond have posted comments and questions to that story, many providing and seeking information on relatives who worked there.
Now people have a chance to further their education about the KOP story. On Saturday, March 22, LaPorte County Historian Fern Eddy Schultz will present a program on the History of the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant. The program will take place at the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum, 2405 Indiana Ave., LaPorte, beginning at 1 p.m. The program is free; museum admission price of just a few dollars will be collected.
KOP transformed many acres of farmland to industrial use. An entire cemetery was relocated and a village moved somewhat south to make room for it. Housing was hastily constructed in LaPorte (notably, Maple Terrace), and an entire town — originally called Victory City — sprang up near the plant. That town is now known as Kingsford Heights. Schools were built as quickly as possible to accommodate the many children who moved with their parents to the area.
Fern will discuss the construction and operation of this immense, self-contained facility and its effects on the county.
For more information on the society and its museum, visit www.laportecountyhistory.org. The museum’s regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10-4:30.
EDITOR’S NOTE: To view the 2009 KOP story and comments on WNLP, click on the following link:
http://www.whatsnewlaporte.com/2009/02/15/kingsbury-ordnance-plants-history-wont-fade-with-time/