Learn About the Park, the People, and the History
Learn more about the stories of the American WWII Home Front: the people who worked in the defense industry and other home front jobs, home front activities, daily life, and social changes accelerated by the changing home front culture. Learn about the places associated with Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front NHP. Learn about the museum and archives collection of Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front NHP and how to research the collections and donate artifacts and archives to the park. ![]() PeopleLearn more about the people that are an important part of the Home Front Story. ![]() Explore the Park!The Richmond Home Front provides a number of historic places to drive by, view or visit. Click here for a list of points of interest. ![]() Photos and MultimediaSee current and historic photos from the park, events and more... ![]() (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Digital Visual Library) The World War II Home Front HistoryOn the morning of December 7, 1941, military forces of the Empire of Japan attacked the United States Naval Fleet and ground bases at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. On December 8, 1941, one day after the "Day of Infamy," the United States declared war against the Empire of Japan and on December 11, 1941, Japan's ally, Germany, declared war on the United States. Ten million Americans, mostly young working age men, would serve in the military during WWII, out of an overall United States population of 113 million. While an unprecedented number of young men would serve in World War II, the country would drastically increase its war production on the Home Front, serving not only the needs of the armed forces of the United States but her allies as well - what President Franklin Roosevelt called "The Arsenal of Democracy." The combination of so many serving in the military, during a period of necessary and drastic increases in production, led to unprecedented social changes on the American Home Front. Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park was established in Richmond, California in the year 2000, to tell this national story. The Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond produced 747 ships during World War II, the most productive shipyards in history.In addition, Richmond had a total of 55 war industries.Richmond also has a large number of intact historical building from the period and the Richmond Museum Association, one of the parks cooperative partners, operates the SS Red Oak Victory, the last remaining Victory Ship built in the Richmond Shipyards.
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Last updated: May 2, 2023