Change Houses

The highlighted buildings in the photo above are the Change Houses at Gate 1. There were also Change Houses in the Combined Shops Area, Acid Area, Oleum Plant, Gate 16 and Ball Powder. At the beginning of the shift after passing through the clock alley and security inspection the employees went to a Change House where they changed from street clothes to company furnished work clothes and safety shoes suited to the area where they worked.

Exterior view of a Change House at Gate 16. In 1944 the Rocket Propellant production facility was built. At that same time an employee entrance (Gate 16) area like Gate 1 with clock alleys, security inspection stations and change houses was built east of the Gate 10 Housing area located at the Hwy 12 "S" bend.

This photo shows some of the lockers where employees kept their work clothes and left their street clothes while at work. The locks were company furnished and had a master key so that when the laundry worker delivered the clean work clothes they could be put in the proper locker. Company furnished clothes were marked with the employee's name, badge number, change house number and locker number. Employees left their soiled clothes in large hampers in the Change House for pickup and cleaning by the plant laundry.

This photo is in the restroom where there were showers for those employees required to shower at the end of the shift. The large round fixtures are sinks for hand washing.

Employees on their way to the change houses and clock alleys at the end of the shift. The people in the foreground are coming from change houses in the Combined Shops area and will go directly to the security inspection and clock alleys. People getting off the busses will change clothes in these change houses.