WAR ERA Construction of the plant helped end the Depression for thousands of workers, and for local residents who benefited from retail sales and local construction projects. The construction crew peaked at 12,000 in August 1942, and production began the following winter. Construction and production workers poured in from near and far, finding housing in everything from homes, spare rooms, attics, on-site barracks and a nearby Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp, to trailers and outbuildings. A Federal Housing Project community, Badger Village, was constructed nearby for workers, and the adjacent section of Hwy 12 became Wisconsin’s first rural 4-lane highway. Several local businesses and construction companies got their start during this time.

The plant (then called Badger Ordnance Works) was one of 77 Government-Owned Contractor-Operated (GOCO) industrial plants constructed by the U.S. Army for WWII, and one of 23 of these plants that produced explosives or propellants. It was operated by Hercules Powder. It produced acids and used these to treat cotton fibers and wood pulp to produce nitrocellulose. This was further processed into smokeless powder, ethyl centralite (E.C.) powder, and rocket powder. The latter product required nitroglycerin, which was also produced at the plant. These propellants were shipped elsewhere to be incorporated into ammunition for small arms, cannons, grenades and small rockets. A dynamite (TNT) production area was partially constructed but aborted. Electricity was provided by outside utilities. A large on-site power plant produced steam, which provided heat and some power through a network of some 200 miles of elevated pipe.

The workforce peaked at 6600, working round-the-clock in three shifts, and commuting by carpool and buses from as far as 80 miles. It included production workers, safety and security forces, administrators, engineers, maintenance and crafts people, a small hospital staff, and others. Most of the 1400+ buildings were of wood-frame construction, which incorporated many design features related to specific production and safety requirements, including non-static concrete-graphite floors, break-out doors, escape chutes, blow-out roofs, concrete partitions, soil-filled timber barricades to direct explosions upward, high-capacity sprinkler systems, etc. To avoid sparks, some machines were powered by steam or compressed air, and some buildings were lit through windows from the outside. The spacing between specific buildings reflected the distance that explosions might carry. Safety was also incorporated into operational procedures and functional uniforms, which varied among production areas. Smoking and matches were prohibited. Workers were often checked when arriving or leaving the plant, and were generally restricted to their work areas while on-site.

A "plant culture" developed around the common experiences that related to production, safety issues, rationing and work on the "home front". These were reflected in a plant newspaper, recreation hall, and stories that have lasted nearly 60 years.

Early Settlement

Pre-War Settlement

Post World-War II Production

Current Status