Once the largest shirt factory in the world, making 700,00 Army uniform shirts a month, and capable of churning out 21,932 pairs of Army boots a day in 1918, the old Jeffersonville Quartermaster Depot has new life as a business and government center.
A vital cog in the Army wheel for almost 100 years, the JQMD closed in 1958, was purchased by the City of Jeffersonville in 1993, renovated and redeveloped in 2006, and in 2022 is a hub of Jefferson City Hall, private business, shopping, dining, and entertainment uses.
The JQMD started in the 1860s as a convenient supply depot for Union Forces during the Civil War. With excellent rail networks in the area already, and reliable Ohio River river access, the JQMD could move large amounts of men and equipment very efficiently.
As the Civil War dragged on, the JQMD expanded in size and importance adding a hardtack factory (a staple in every Civil War soldier's diet), uniform factory, as well as shops to make saddles, harnesses, vehicles (wagons), stationery, tools and camp stoves for the Army.
After the Civil War ended, the JQMD was the only depot to not be disbanded. It was expanded and rebuilt in 1872. The Army heavily relied upon the JQMD in subsequent wars for its equipment needs, even as times and technology changed. See: (
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The Depot finally closed in 1958, and over the years became a run-down hodge-podge of low-rent businesses. After a 1993 fire damages one side of became known as "the Quadrangle", the city of Jeffersonville bought the rest with an eye to redevelopment.
That effort kicked off in 2003, and part of the plan was to relocate Jeffersonville City Hall into the larger redevelopment to add energy to the project. Source: Louisville Business Journal: (
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The election item to move the City hall to the Quadrangle passed, and in 2019 the City had moved into its new digs in the center of this historic complex. The City hall occupies the central offices of the Old US Quartermaster Depot, as seen on the entrance, which still bears its historic signage of "US QM DEPOT"
From Wikipedia: (
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"Jeffersonville is a city and the county seat of Clark County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River. Locally, the city is often referred to by the abbreviated name Jeff. It lies directly across the Ohio River to the north of Louisville, Kentucky, along I-65. The population was 44,953 at the 2010 census."
More information about this interesting historic city (built according to a design by Thomas Jefferson) can be found here, at the Clark County History website: (
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But Blasterz really prefer this website, from the Advisory Committee for Historic Preservation: (
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"A river town in southern Indiana, Jeffersonville (population 28,640) is rich in history and tradition. Its origins go back to 1786 and the construction of Fort Finney. The town was named for and initially platted according to concepts provided by President Thomas Jefferson. In the 1800s, several shipyards were established along the riverfront, and the town became known for its shipbuilding.
During the Civil War, Jeffersonville was an important logistical, supply, and hospital center supporting Union military operations in the West. After the war, the U.S. Quartermaster Corps established a permanent presence, and military supply and production joined shipbuilding as major economic sectors. Today, Jeffersonville offers diverse products and services, such as trucking and distribution, steel fabrication, electronic components, and kitchen cabinetry.
Jeffersonville’s rich heritage is evident in its historic architecture, town parks, and historic downtown. Numerous rehabilitation projects have been completed through public-private partnership efforts, including the former Carnegie Library’s rehabilitation as the home of the Remnant Trust’s collection of rare books and the revitalization of the downtown commercial district. The adaptive reuse of the former U.S. Quartermaster Depot (Depot) and its Administration Building is one outstanding example.
In 1871, the U.S. Army commissioned the Depot for manufacturing, procuring, and distributing goods for the Army. The quadrangle complex was sold and converted to a low-rent shopping center years later. Although it housed businesses for almost four decades, the buildings suffered from deferred maintenance, vandalism, and arson. Listed twice by the Historic Landmarks Foundation as one of Indiana’s 10 most endangered historic properties, the Depot was bought by the city of Jeffersonville to facilitate redevelopment. The city moved its offices to the Administration Building in 2006 after extensive interior and exterior work, while retaining significant historic features. This project was a huge success in revitalizing a depressed area of the city and increasing civic pride.
Jeffersonville also has several museums and local history collections including the Howard Steamboat Museum, Schimpff’s Confectionery and Candy Museum, and the Indiana Room of the Jeffersonville Township Public Library, which contains local, county, and state history and genealogy materials.
Several local organizations are actively involved in preservation. Jeff-Clark Preservation, Inc. rehabilitated several downtown buildings and sponsors an annual essay contest about local history that awards college scholarships. Jefferson Main Street, Inc., purchased historic buildings from absentee landlords and regularly sponsors a farmers’ market and summer concert series. City Pride, a city-sponsored volunteer group, purchased benches and planters for Downtown beautification.
Designated a Preserve America Community in January 2008."