Richmond city feature
About this landmark
The Oil House showcases Richmond's wartime manufacturing legacy.
The Rosie the Riveter Visitor Education Center occupies the historic Oil House, a building that once stored fuel powering the Ford Assembly Plant's assembly line. The center is part of the Rosie the Riveter Home Front park, located at 1414 Harbour Way South, Richmond, California. The park was designated on October 25, 2000, and encompasses over 20 historic places throughout Richmond's wartime industrial district.
Ford Manufacturing and World War II Service
The Ford Assembly Plant was designed by architect Albert Kahn and completed in 1930. The building spans nearly 500,000 square feet and was the largest automobile assembly plant on the West Coast when it opened. During World War II, the facility operated as the Richmond Tank Depot, one of only three tank depots in the United States. It assembled approximately 49,000 jeeps and processed roughly 91,000 other military vehicles during the war. The Oil House, where the visitor center now operates, supported this production by providing the fuel that powered the assembly line; visitor-center floors still bear the outlines of where oil tanks once sat.
The Ford Assembly Plant was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The larger park itself encompasses 145 acres as a partnership park, meaning the National Park Service administers the site but does not own most of the land or buildings. This arrangement allows the NPS to interpret multiple locations connected to Richmond's WWII home-front experience across the city.
The Visitor Center and Earthquake Rehabilitation
The Oil House was renovated and opened as the Visitor Education Center in 2012. The center operates free to the public. Hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily, with closures on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
In 1989, the Ford Assembly Building sustained severe damage during the Loma Prieta earthquake. Rehabilitation of the structure was completed in 2008 by the City of Richmond working with the Orton Development company. The rehabilitated facility, now marketed as Ford Point, houses the National Park Service visitor center alongside private businesses and the Craneway Pavilion event venue. The City of Richmond reports the building is approximately 90 percent occupied with mixed-use tenants.
Insurance connection: Earthquake coverage
Historic buildings like the Ford Assembly Plant face seismic risk. California Earthquake Authority basic policies provide dwelling coverage matching the homeowners policy limit, personal property coverage of $5,000 to $25,000, and additional living expenses. Policyholders choose deductible options of 5 percent, 10 percent, 15 percent, 20 percent, or 25 percent. Homes built before 1980 on raised foundations, or valued over $1 million, face a minimum 15 percent deductible. To purchase earthquake coverage, the policyholder must already have a residential property insurance policy in place. California Department of Insurance earthquake information notes that eligibility and limits depend on the individual policy. The issued policy controls.
Primary sources: National Park Service official park homepage, NPS hours page, City of Richmond historical sites.
Insurance context is general information only. The issued policy and its endorsements settle coverage.