6 Dahlgren 



for the dock area was used as a land fill for the swamp and marsh areas that ran 

 through the Proving Ground. Included in the early structure of the Proving 

 Ground were aviation facilities consisting of a landplane hangar and seaplane 

 hangar, each with a machine shop. A ramp was also provided for amphibious 

 aircraft." 



In late 1918, it was decided that the new station should be named for a naval 

 officer who had been prominent in the field of ordnance development. In- 

 cluded in the list was RADM John Adolphus Dahlgren, and in selecting Admi- 

 ral Dahlgren RADM Earle stated: 



I chose Rear Admiral Dahlgren because I considered him the father of modern 

 ordnance, for it was he who really pulled the Service out of a rut in ordnance in 

 which the Service had been since the War of 1812, and built and advocated heavy 

 ordnance. 



He did a great deal of his work at the Naval Gun Factory, was the first Chief of the 

 Bureau of Ordnance, so that I considered it eminently fitung that an Ordnance and 

 Gunnery building at the Naval Academy and our great Naval Proving Ground on 

 the Potomac should carry the name of Dahlgren.'^ 



The Secretary of the Navy, on January 15, 1919, submitted the name to the 

 Postmaster General who directed that the post office at the Lower Station be 

 called "Dahlgren." Future official corresp'ondence would be addressed to the 

 Naval Proving Ground Lower Station, Dahlgren. In unofficial correspondence 

 and in conversation, the Lower Station became known simply as "Dahlgren." 



The new Proving Ground, removed from Indian Head yet under its author- 

 ity, was assigned an Executive Officer to command under the direction of the 

 Inspector of Ordnance at Indian Head. Initial organization consisted of Proof, 

 Construction, Transportation, Aviation, Experimental, Supply, and Medical 

 Departments. With the exception of Supply, each department was headed by 

 an Officer in Charge who reported directly to the Executive Officer. Prior to 

 January I, 1925, an Indian Head officer handled all disbursements. After that 

 date. Accounting and Disbursing were established independently at the Prov- 

 ing Ground.'^ 



Construction at Dahlgren before 1919 had been confined to providing tem- 

 porary housing for construction workers and personnel involved in proof, test, 

 and range activities. From its inception, however, a permanent community was 

 envisioned. As early as 1918 the Bureau of Industrial Housing and Transporta- 

 tion had drawn a housing plan for a projected community.'^ Preliminary 

 drawings for an administration building of colonial design were prepared by 

 Lieutenant C. W. Williams and Lieutenant W. C. Rehfuss, USNR, civil en- 

 gineers attached to the Station. RADM Earle approved their plans on March 1, 

 1919. 



