Rosie the Riveter

I checked out of my hotel this morning so I could spend the day with Rosie the Riveter. The actual name of this park is Rosie the Riveter / World War II Home Front National Historical Park. What a mouthful! I believe its name is the longest of all National Park Units!

I was especially looking forward to visiting this park since I’ve been fascinated with life at home during World War II. At the park, I learned that the legacy of the Home Front was far reaching and created a profound economic and social impact on American culture.

The park is located in Richmond, California, a critical hub for the war effort at home and a major wartime shipbuilding center. The visitor center is housed in the historic "Oil House" of the Ford Assembly Plant, which originally fueled Ford’s assembly lines and later supported the production of World War II jeeps and tanks. The park’s outstanding exhibits and films gave me a thorough understanding of this period’s amazing stories.

The Ford Assembly Plant and the Visitor Center (lower right)

The Exhibits at the Visitor Center Were Excellent

The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, transformed America into the Home Front. As the park explains, “Everything changed, especially the swelling industrial workforce. It included millions more minorities, in particular African Americans, and women, embodied by ‘Rosie the Riveter.’ Richmond, California typified wartime boomtowns across the country that endured deep and rapid change as migrants sought work in defense industries.”

At least six million women entered the US workforce during the war, and many had to overcome Depression-era attitudes about women working at all. Many female defense workers were riveters, and the “Rosie the Riveter” icon and song were a central part of the campaign to recruit women and persuade men to accept them.

I Never Could Capture the Iconic Rosie Pose

In addition to the visitor center, the park includes ten other sites that were instrumental during the war. I first visited the Rosie the Riveter Memorial, a poignant tribute to the women who worked in factories and shipyards. The memorial represents the hull of a ship under construction and honors the invaluable contributions and sacrifices made by these women.

Rosie the Riveter Memorial

I also drove by one of the villages built to accommodate the influx of shipyard workers, a hospital, and an early childcare center that allowed parents to focus on their work while knowing their children were cared for.

Most interesting, however, was Kaiser Shipyard No. 3, which is still a working shipyard. I was able to view the SS Red Oak Victory Ship, a preserved Victory ship that served in the Pacific Theater, although it was closed for tours today. Nearby were the Machine Shop, Paint Shop, and General Warehouse, an impressive, concrete Moderne-style building.

Kaiser Shipyard No. 3

Although it was still early afternoon, I decided to head to the Oakland Airport, where I was catching a flight to Portland, Oregon. Here, I was able to drop off my rental car, and I was quite relieved to turn in the keys. I was somewhat amazed that I, and the car, survived two days of East Bay traffic in one piece!

The shuttle dropped me off at the Southwest Airlines terminal, where I checked one bag. I struck up a conversation with the agent working the outside counter, and she pointed me in the direction of the Priority Lounge, located in the main terminal. I had nothing smaller than a $5 bill for a tip, but that was fine with me.

I walked away, but not long after, I heard someone calling out. I finally turned around and saw the agent running toward me with my phone in her hand. I had left it behind on the counter. I was never so grateful to anyone than I was at that moment. I’m sure she would have done the same even if I hadn’t tipped her, but I viewed it as the best $5 I had spent on this trip.

It was a long walk to the Priority Lounge, but worth it. Although the lounge was crowded, it was a nice place to relax for a few hours, and I was able to finally get something to eat.

The Priority Lounge Was a Pleasant Place to Hang Out

After making my way to the Southwest terminal, we soon boarded a full flight, and I managed to get a window seat near the front of the plane. We left on time, but within minutes, the pilot announced that there were computer issues, and we returned to the gate.

We ended up sitting on the plane for almost three hours before we were able to depart. By that time, however, we would arrive too late for my friend Kevin to meet me for dinner in Portland. I wasn’t very happy since that would cut into the time we could spend together. Oh well. I just tried to go with the flow.

The flight was uneventful, but it was almost 10:00pm when we landed in Portland. Luckily, my hotel was near the airport, the shuttle picked me up, and I finally checked into the Hyatt Place. I’ll meet Kevin tomorrow morning for breakfast.