Raritan Arsenal, 2890 Woodbridge Avenue, Bonhamtown, Middlesex County, NJ

Significance: The Raritan Arsenal, originally known as the Raritan River Ordnance Base, was established in 1917 in preparation for the United States' entry into World War I. The Arsenal, initially a 2,150 acre complex wit 275 buildings, fifty-two miles of railroad, six miles of concrete roads, and water access to the Raritan River, played a key role in the transport of war materials to both Allied and American armed forces in Europe during World War I. The installation served as a major East Coast storage and transshipment center for munitions, an assembly/repair facility for motorized ordnance equipment, and an ordnance training camp for 20,000 American soldiers. During the 1920s and 1930s, the primary purpose of the Raritan Arsenal was the storage, salvage, and renovation of munitions. The facility also supplied assembly and repair services for the more advanced military technology that was developed during these two decades. As the United States entered World War II, the Arsenal retained and expanded these vital functions and reactivated the ordnance training unit. In 1956, the Raritan Arsenal began a gradual phase-out, and in 1964 the installation was turned over to the General Services Administration. The complex was then subdivided into separate parcels and sold or transferred to several businesses and government organizations.
Survey number: HABS NJ-1061
Building/structure dates: 1918 Initial Construction