Wonderful Harry! I'm both pleased and saddened when looking at what is still around, and what is lost forever! I think it would be a fun vacation to trek back and visit all the sites, and whatever buildings remain!

The same here in th UK, lots of empty factories, we do not make a great deal now. We were GREAT Britain at one time. I think it is very sad to see all those gun factories closed down, the same here with shoe factories and tanneries(my trade). We used to have in excess of 500 tanneries, now down to around 20 at most.
Chris B

Thanks for posting the link. Somewhat of a history buff and I find stuff like this very interesting. When you think about all the firearm manufacturers located in the northeast it is somewhat suprising to find so many of them not all that far from each other. Thanks again. Frank

NE had water power to drive the machinery too. Almost all the Arsenals I have visited, Harpers Ferry Richmond Columbus GA were on the fall line with canals cut to operate the machinery.

North Had far more water power than the South, one reason the Textile industry developed there.

Boats

reliable year round water power was THE crucial factor in the development of early US industry. especially when could be located within easy reach of bulk transportation----which in the pre-steam era was basically by ship.  Wood for fuel and the earliest Iron production facilities were also critical factors as was proximity to markets.    IN the early years firearms factories were focussed on military production for national and state use.  Sporting arms just sort of filled in the gaps-----and much of that was done by local artisan//craftsmen.

the "fall line" in new England was relatively close to to the tide water line,  this was unlike the Piedmont fall line in the southern states which was farther inland and except for a few substantial rivers which flowed into the larger estuaries-----Harpers Ferry comes to mind-----but even it did not come into major play until the "internal improvement" era of the early US developed canals and shortly there after the coastal railroads.

as the old saying goes "location, location, location"