The UC Santa Barbara Undergraduate Journal of History

The Rise and Fall of Boomtowns: Remington-UMC in Bridgeport during WWI" journeys the story of Remington Arms Corporation and how it build Bridgeport into a 'boomtown' during WWI. From a surge of immigration, to the emergence of women in the workforce, and all the socialist ideas spurring clashes between corporations and workers' unions, Bridgeport was a hotbed for all things involving the US war effort throughout the 1910s. Just as much as companies like Remington-UMC built this boomtown, ripple effects from this era are felt to this day by the departure of the company in the 1970-80s, following the national trend of 'white flight' to the suburbs and manufacturing jobs moving abroad. By understanding this story, the hope is that Bridgeport will see a revival built upon the legacies of its predecessors.