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Did You Know?

Henderson has their own version of the war effort icon, Rosie the Riveter, and her name was Magnesium Maggie!

 

Shortly after the start of World War II, the Basic Magnesium Inc. (BMI) plant was built to assist in the manufacturing of parts and munitions for allied aircraft. With much of the workforce away due to the mandatory military draft, it was the “Magnesium Maggies” that stepped into many of the available roles at the plant.

 

Economic opportunity was an important reason these women joined the workforce, but patriotism was also a strong motivator. Most of the Magnesium Maggies enjoyed their first taste of equal pay for equal work — generally 90 cents an hour for the Henderson production workers. Though the plant was only active for 804 days, the rigorous work generated 166,322,685 pounds of refined magnesium. The impact of the work done by BMI and Magnesium Maggies helped shape the workforce in modern Henderson with many local streets, schools, and businesses having included the term ‘Basic’ in their name. 

 

The impact and importance of Henderson’s Magnesium Maggies will be memorialized on Water Street with this sculpture dedicated to the hard-working women of the war effort. Visit the statue at Proctor Judicial Park, located on the corner of Water St. and Basic Rd.