Amatol Munitions Ruins and site of the Atlantic City Speedway (Brooklands)

Amatol was a munitions plant that was created during world war one. It was located on the outskirts of hammonton, NJ in part of the pine barrens on about 6000 acres of land. Amatol was being used in creating munitions as a way of extending the supply of TNT. They created temporary housing that was about 2 miles away from the factory. The plant was operational for several months when the war had ended and the plant and town was deserted. What remains is portions of a few concrete structures.
In 1926, on the same site. this became the site of a speedway. It was about 1-1/2 mile track that was 50 foot wide and made of wood. It was banked on the corners, about 45 degrees. The track was built to withstand about 160 miles per hour.
Several speed records were also recorded there.
Motorcycles were also raced at the track.
Thank you for watching.
Links:
At America's Brooklands (1926)
• At America's Brookland...
Amatol Speedway (Also Known As Atlantic City Speedway)
Races Held 1926 - 1928 Torn Down in 1933
www.3widespicturevault.com/FRO...
Amatol Raceway - Elwood, NJ
www.evfc160.com/main/staticpa...
The Lost Town of Amatol - Elwood, NJ
www.evfc160.com/main/staticpag...
The History of Amatol
• The History of Amatol
Picture Forum
www.3widespicturevault.com/SEN...
The Motordrome - Board Track Motorcycle Racing
www.ridingvintage.com/2012/12/...
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[@VB-bk1lh]

Just found this vid in 2024.
About 35 or so years ago that area was popular among guys riding ATV's. The buildings were more complete back then and the trees more sparse. You could see a good ways around the old track and there were still signs of its racing days with the occasional old wheel or tire, and a few areas where they buried tires half way to form a barrier.
There was more dumping going on then though, it looks like someone cleaned it up a bit since the 80's. I remember piles of old appliances and car tires dumped out there.
At that point some of the wood structure was still intact but was burnt, likely by forest fires in that area over the years. The whole one end of the tract was still showing burned trees about 15ft or so tall still standing in the woods. A buddy who knew the area and grew up there in the 50's said that the area had a huge forest fire in the early 60's that wiped out a good bit of what remained and the subsequent growth after the fire, which I believe may have burned again, is a lot of what your seeing today. Most of those larger trees don't look super old, maybe 50 years or so tops. There were few large trees when I was there back then. There were also signs of vagrants living in those old buildings, with makeshift tarps over sections and old whisky bottles strewn around too.
The nearby areas at the time were also not the best and most didn't go there alone as it had a reputation in later years as a place for drug deals and such.
It looks like much of that may have been solved but I see the dumping hasn't stopped.
I'm too old to go exploring these day so its nice to see what became of the places we knew years ago.

[@kennethhacker1341]

They would feed 6000 people at a time when this was operating..I would love to find the chow hall.great video.you are in my back yard lol

[@mikesfjrcorner7129]

Oh wow!

[@cherri400]

Where exactly is the raceway located? Been out there and can't find it.

[@mikesfjrcorner7129]

It is located at this map location: 39.5996052, -74.7482266