American Viscose Co.
Marcus Hook, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
The first company in North America to successfully manufacture an artificial fiber (rayon). Plant employees, many of whom were women, lived in Viscose Village, a planned community built in 1912-1915 and designed by Ballinger and Perrot of Phila. In the English Domestic Revival style. The Marcus Hook plant contributed significantly to the country's defense in both World Wars-- supplying fiber for many military applications.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
At Marcus Hook, the American Viscose Company became the first firm in North America to manufacture rayon, the pioneering artificial fiber, on a commercial scale. To house its workforce — many of them women — the company built Viscose Village between 1912 and 1915, a planned community in the English Domestic Revival style designed by the Philadelphia firm of Ballinger and Perrot. The plant's fibers went on to serve countless military uses in both World Wars.
Why it matters
The birth of the synthetic-fiber industry here reshaped American manufacturing and daily life, while its model company town reflects the era's ambitions for industrial welfare and planned living.
Plan your visit
NearbyMake a day of it — museums, food, and places to stay near this marker.
Attractions
- Commandant's Quarters13.5 mi away
- American Bandstand14.2 mi away
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Related events
- · Manufacture of rayon in North America
Themes & tags
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