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174:(later re-named "Albany Hill"). The railroad station for the facility was named "Nobel". The Judson Manufacturing Co., whose founder and CEO Egbert Judson had acquired an interest in Giant when it was still located in San Francisco, established its chemical works adjacent to the Giant plant to supply it with the acids for manufacturing dynamite.
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Giant's production facility remained at Point Pinole for decades without any further serious accidents, although there were a few incidents. Giant produced a wide variety of explosives for commercial and military uses until 1960. The area where explosives were manufactured was named "Nitro" while
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On April 15, 1880, another accidental explosion occurred killing many workers and several visitors. The company then instituted more stringent safety measures, including the planting of eucalyptus trees atop the adjacent hill to act as a buffer for surrounding communities. During the 1880s, Giant
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The company was incorporated in August 1867 by Julius
Bandmann of San Francisco for the express purpose of manufacturing Nobel's newly-patented explosive in the United States. Bandmann immediately began construction of his factory in what was then the remote southern part of San Francisco, now
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On
November 26, 1869, an explosion destroyed the Giant dynamite factory, killing two and injuring nine people. A new facility was subsequently built at another site located in the western part of San Francisco, among the sand dunes and scrub that later became part of the
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decided to start manufacturing its own acids, creating a rift with partner Judson who then left the company and formed his own in 1890, the Judson
Explosives and Powder Company. He constructed his own facility nearby, on the northwest side of the Cerrito de San Antonio.
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On May 31, 1961, shortly after the Atlas Powder
Company closed its Giant facility, it changed its name to Atlas Chemical Industries, Inc. as it started to move away from producing explosives. On July 21, 1971, Atlas was purchased by
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On July 9, 1892, an explosion occurred on the Giant property which killed nine workers and caused damage to the nearby Judson site. The blast was widely felt, shattering windows for miles around, including those on the
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585:"Point Pinole in the late 1800s and the first half of the 20th century was the site of the dynamite-making Giant then Atlas Powder Co. — and some disastrous explosions", Nilda Rego,
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The public outcry that ensued from these two accidents prompted the Giant Powder
Company to move across the bay to a more remote site that today straddles the city limits of
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the nearby company town was called "Giant". The area is still shown on maps as "Giant", and a principal thoroughfare through the area is called "Giant
Highway". The
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neighborhood of the city. The facility was ready by early 1868, with production commencing in March. The location of this factory is
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manufacturing company which operated from the mid 19th century through the first half of the 20th century, located in the
150:(in the vicinity of today's Kirkham, Ortega, 20th, and 32nd Avenues), but another accident destroyed that plant as well.
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284:"The Historic Connection Between Alfred Nobel and Glen Canyon Park", Glen Parks Neighborhoods History Project
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The records of the Atlas Powder
Company and predecessors, 1868-1958 (bulk, 1912-1958), ArchiveGrid
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California
Historical Landmarks, No. 1002 Giant Powder Company Site, San Francisco - San Francisco
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Corporation's explosives monopoly. The new management implemented more rigorous safety measures.
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of
California. The Giant Powder Company was the first company in the United States to produce
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186:. The facility was entirely destroyed. Judson sued Giant for its damages and won.
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483:"Two Men Killed in Terrific Explosion at Sobrante Powder Works Just North of Here"
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Limited (UK) and became its
American affiliate under the name ICI Americas Inc.
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In 1892, the Giant Powder Company moved once again, this time to Sobrante near
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USGS Topographic Map, San Francisco 15-min Quadrangle, 1895 (Nobel misspelled)
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In 1907, two men were killed and many injured in an explosion at the plant.
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580:, by Alfred Dupont Chandler & Stephen Salsbury, 1971, Harper & Row
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Defunct manufacturing companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area
457:"Explosion of Nitro-Glycerine at Sobrante Blows Two Men to Atoms"
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Photo of the nitroglycerine mixing house at Nitro, Point Pinole
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Daily Alta California, Volume 21, Number 7190, 27 November 1869
27:
Explosives manufacturing company in California, United States
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USGS Topographic Map, San Francisco 15-min Quadrangle, 1895
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Judson v. Giant Powder Co. (1895), 40 P. 1020, 107 Cal. 549
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In 1904, two men were killed in an explosion at the plant.
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Pierre S. Du Pont and the Making of the Modern Corporation
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USGS Topographic Map, Mare Island 15-min. Quadrangle, 1916
408:. California State Parks, Office of Historic Preservation
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California Historical Landmarks in Contra Costa County.
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San Francisco Call, Volume 72, Number 40, 10 July 1892
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In 1915, the Giant Powder Company was acquired by the
353:"Albany's Explosive History with Dynamite, Part II",
247:, number 1002-1, marked with a monument and plaque.
626:Albany's Explosive History with Dynamite, Part II,
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659:Companies based in Contra Costa County, California
618:Albany's Explosive History with Dynamite, Part I,
654:Manufacturing companies based in San Francisco
202:(Sobrante should not be confused with nearby
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689:Manufacturing companies established in 1867
318:Map of the City of Oakland and Surroundings
674:History of Contra Costa County, California
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509:"Bay District Shaken by Powder Explosion"
606:Photo of Southern Pacific Nobel station
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644:American companies established in 1867
184:campus of the University of California
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669:19th century in Berkeley, California
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679:1867 establishments in California
614:(Contra Costa Historical Society)
608:(Contra Costa Historical Society)
567:Google Maps - Giant and vicinity
237:site of the Giant Powder Company
113:under an exclusive license from
91:Atlas Powder Company (from 1915)
601:"Giant Powder Company", FoundSF
435:United States Geological Survey
241:Point Pinole Regional Shoreline
245:California Historical Landmark
140:California Historical Landmark
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664:19th century in San Francisco
513:The Fresno Morning Republican
190:Point Pinole explosives plant
154:Plants in Albany and Berkeley
515:. August 25, 1907. p. 1
253:Imperial Chemical Industries
489:. March 14, 1904. p. 1
463:. March 15, 1904. p. 7
320:, Woodward and Gamble, 1888
208:Giant, Richmond, California
59:, California, United States
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223:. Atlas, as well as the
210:was established by 1895.
649:Explosives manufacturers
206:). The company town of
694:Disasters in California
265:California Powder Works
225:Hercules Powder Company
204:El Sobrante, California
461:San Francisco Examiner
172:Cerrito de San Antonio
107:San Francisco Bay Area
369:Daily Alta California
487:The Berkeley Gazette
221:Atlas Powder Company
99:Giant Powder Company
31:Giant Powder Company
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589:, November 1, 2012
430:San Francisco, CA
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16:(Redirected from
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587:The Mercury News
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628:Albany Patch
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517:. Retrieved
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115:Alfred Nobel
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36:Company type
342:Scripophily
638:Categories
271:References
166:, between
103:explosives
47:Explosives
519:August 6,
493:August 6,
467:August 6,
441:August 7,
412:August 6,
200:San Pablo
132:Glen Park
259:See also
160:Berkeley
111:dynamite
83:Dynamite
80:Products
55:1867 in
44:Industry
18:Sobrante
130:in the
121:History
101:was an
75:Defunct
64:Founder
52:Founded
437:. 1895
229:DuPont
164:Albany
136:listed
243:is a
88:Owner
521:2020
495:2020
469:2020
443:2020
414:2020
170:and
162:and
97:The
72:Fate
239:at
138:as
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397:^
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20:)
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