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Morgantown Ordnance Works
This 825-acre industrial complex played a major role in Morgantown's industrial development and in the country's defense during World War II. The Morgantown Ordnance Works were built for the Government between December, 1940 and the late fall of 1941. Beginning in December, 1941, this large facility produced ammonia and deuterium oxide (also known as "heavy water"), which was needed for manufacturing atomic bombs. Production continued throughout the war until the closure of the works on August 20, 1945. Soon after in 1946, the Sharon Steel Company briefly leased and operated the plant's seventy coke ovens while the Heyden Chemical Corporation occupied the remainder of the property. In May of 1950, the site was closed down.
In 1962, the Morgantown Community Association and local industrialist J. W. Ruby acquired the Morgantown Ordnance Works from the Government with the intention of turning it into an industrial park. Today the site is home to a diverse range of industries and services.
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Morgantown Ordnance Works, 1950s
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To learn more about this industrial complex, visit the museum and enjoy the Morgantown Ordnance Works exhibit.
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