In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Defense Act, which authorized the construction of two nitrate-manufacturing plants and a dam to provide them hydropower.[3] President Wilson chose Muscle Shoals, Alabama as the site of the dam, which when completed in 1924, was named Wilson Dam.[4] The new plant would produce ammonium nitrate using the Haber process. It was soon discovered the Haber process would not produce the amount of nitrate needed, so another plant was built that employed the cyanamide process.[5]
The New York City architect, Harold Caparn, who helped expand the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, was chosen as chief architect of an industrial village that would house supervisors and workers for the Nitrate Plant No. 1. Construction of the village began in the latter half of 1918. The village was designed in the pattern of a handbell, with houses surrounding the handle, body, and clapper, and a school at the base.[6] At its completion, the village contained 112 residential structures, 2 school buildings, and one large apartment building that housed unmarried officers.[5] Maud Lindsay, a nationally known writer of children's books, was chosen as the first kindergarten teacher at the school.[7]
World War I ended on November 11, 1918, and with it, the production of ammonium nitrate was no longer needed. The plant was closed, and the newly built houses stood unoccupied. In 1921, Henry Ford offered to buy the plants and village with plans to develop it into an industrial complex.[5] Until 1933, only a small number of the houses were occupied, all by Alabama Power Company workers.[7] Senator George W. Norris thought the site should be utilized for public use, and in May 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt formed the Tennessee Valley Authority. The industrial complex would be used for fertilizer production and as a development center. In 1949, the streets, playgrounds, and school were deeded to the city of Sheffield by the TVA and the houses were auctioned to the public.[5]
^U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Village Number 1, Alabama
^Milwaukee Journal, U.S. to Rush New Air Nitrate Plants, July 16, 1917
^Pittsburgh Gazette-Times, Nitrate Plant Wins in House With Changes, May 9, 1916
^ abcd"National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form". National Park Service. August 30, 1984. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
^Village No. 1 | The Cultural Landscape Foundation
^ abTennessee Valley Historical Society (2011). Sheffield - History and Recollections. Heart of Dixie Publishing. pp. 94–. ISBN978-1-934610-63-3.
October 31, 2023
village, number, alabama, village, number, also, known, village, nitrate, plant, number, reservation, subdivision, unincorporated, community, colbert, county, alabama, united, states, nitrate, village, historic, districtu, national, register, historic, placesu. Village Number 1 also known as The Village and Nitrate Plant Number 1 Reservation Subdivision is an unincorporated community in Colbert County Alabama in the United States 2 Nitrate Village No 1 Historic DistrictU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S Historic districtHouses on Norris Circle in April 2017Show map of AlabamaShow map of the United StatesLocationRoughly bounded by Wilson Dam Circle Wheeler and Wilson Dam Aves Fontana and Pickwick Sts Sheffield AlabamaCoordinates34 44 24 N 87 43 04 W 34 74000 N 87 71778 W 34 74000 87 71778Area75 acres 30 ha ArchitectHarold A CaparnArchitectural styleAmerican Craftsman Mission RevivalNRHP reference No 84000603 1 Added to NRHPAugust 30 1984 Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 External links 4 ReferencesHistory editIn 1916 President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Defense Act which authorized the construction of two nitrate manufacturing plants and a dam to provide them hydropower 3 President Wilson chose Muscle Shoals Alabama as the site of the dam which when completed in 1924 was named Wilson Dam 4 The new plant would produce ammonium nitrate using the Haber process It was soon discovered the Haber process would not produce the amount of nitrate needed so another plant was built that employed the cyanamide process 5 The New York City architect Harold Caparn who helped expand the Brooklyn Botanic Garden was chosen as chief architect of an industrial village that would house supervisors and workers for the Nitrate Plant No 1 Construction of the village began in the latter half of 1918 The village was designed in the pattern of a handbell with houses surrounding the handle body and clapper and a school at the base 6 At its completion the village contained 112 residential structures 2 school buildings and one large apartment building that housed unmarried officers 5 Maud Lindsay a nationally known writer of children s books was chosen as the first kindergarten teacher at the school 7 World War I ended on November 11 1918 and with it the production of ammonium nitrate was no longer needed The plant was closed and the newly built houses stood unoccupied In 1921 Henry Ford offered to buy the plants and village with plans to develop it into an industrial complex 5 Until 1933 only a small number of the houses were occupied all by Alabama Power Company workers 7 Senator George W Norris thought the site should be utilized for public use and in May 1933 President Franklin D Roosevelt formed the Tennessee Valley Authority The industrial complex would be used for fertilizer production and as a development center In 1949 the streets playgrounds and school were deeded to the city of Sheffield by the TVA and the houses were auctioned to the public 5 See also editList of National Historic Landmarks in Alabama National Register of Historic Places listings in Colbert County AlabamaExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nitrate Village No 1 Historic District NRHP pictures of Nitrate Plant No 1 Historic American Engineering Record HAER No AL 46 United States Nitrate Plant No 2 Reservation Road Muscle Shoals Muscle Shoals Colbert County AL 74 photos 7 measured drawings 67 data pages 6 photo caption pagesReferences edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Village Number 1 Alabama Milwaukee Journal U S to Rush New Air Nitrate Plants July 16 1917 Pittsburgh Gazette Times Nitrate Plant Wins in House With Changes May 9 1916 a b c d National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form National Park Service August 30 1984 Retrieved December 27 2014 Village No 1 The Cultural Landscape Foundation a b Tennessee Valley Historical Society 2011 Sheffield History and Recollections Heart of Dixie Publishing pp 94 ISBN 978 1 934610 63 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Village Number 1 Alabama amp oldid 1167743683, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
