Jeffersonville Bombing Prophecy
Before William Branham rebuked ministers (like himself) who were using fears of a Russian invasion as a tool for recruiting into his destructive cult[1] and reversed his prophecy[2] that the Russian Empire and Communism would have global domination,[3] William Branham prophesied that Russia would completely obliterate Louisville and Southern Indiana. At the time, attendees of his 1957 revival in Jeffersonville would have seen this prophecy as a real threat; in the days of yesteryear, the world's largest smokeless ammunition plant was operating between Jeffersonville and Charlestown Indiana.[4] William Branham prophesied that Russia would drop an atomic bomb on these powder plants as part of his doomsday prophecy concerning Russia before his stage persona abandoned the Russian prophecy.
Before William Branham rebuked ministers (like himself) who were using fears of a Russian invasion as a tool for recruiting into his destructive cult[1] and reversed his prophecy[2] that the Russian Empire and Communism would have global domination,[3] William Branham prophesied that Russia would completely obliterate Louisville and Southern Indiana. At the time, attendees of his 1957 revival in Jeffersonville would have seen this prophecy as a real threat; in the days of yesteryear, the world's largest smokeless ammunition plant was operating between Jeffersonville and Charlestown Indiana.[4] William Branham prophesied that Russia would drop an atomic bomb on these powder plants as part of his doomsday prophecy concerning Russia before his stage persona abandoned the Russian prophecy.
Now, friends, my home town. And I want to say this now, before closing this revival. One of these days there won’t be even an ash left in Jeffersonville, there won’t be one left in Charlestown, won’t be one left in Louisville. This world is ripe for judgment. They have got a hydrogen bomb now that Russia can shoot from Moscow, land it on Fourth Street, and take every one of these powder plants around here, and sink it seventy-five feet under the ground, with one bomb. One bomb; fifteen miles square, it’ll go to a hundred and fifty feet in the ground. The hand is on the trigger. The clock is ticking away. It’s later than you think. Why wait till that time?[5]
In 1940 the United States Government hired DuPont to establish a smokeless powder plant near Charlestown, IN. Construction began in the summer of 1940 and continued through April 1941. Over 27,000 men, women, African Americans, and German POWs were employed as a result of the ammunition plant and the site itself won military awards for production.[6] The plant's operation was critical to the success of World War II, and after the war, was decommissioned and maintained for future use. Later, the plant was used for the production of ammunition during both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.[7] At the time of William Branham's 1957 prophecy, the plant was deactivated but remained in maintenance status to be reactivated during the Vietnam War.[8]
By June of 1960, however, William Branham's prophecy was rendered "impossible" due to the full and complete deactivation[9] of the ammunition plants. The United States Military had not used the facilities for some time, and the Clark County 4-H Club Corporation began discussions to purchase the lands for a permanent 4-H Fair and Exhibit Grounds.[10] .
Today, the 4-H Fairgrounds are a popular attraction for local cult members in the Jeffersonville area. "Message" cult members in Jeffersonville are aware that Branham's prophecy of Russia bombing the ammunition plants would be impossible since they are no longer in existence, but cult members in other states and abroad — unaware of the powder plants' decommission and abandonment — still believe Branham's failed prophecy to be plausible.
4-H Club Website:
https://clarkcountyfairgrounds.com/
Ammunition Plant History:
https://www.in.gov/history/state-historical-markers/find-a-marker/find-historical-markers-by-county/indiana-historical-markers-by-county/wwii-army-ammunition-plant.