Benicia Arsenal (Benicia, California)
Benicia · California · Civil War
History & Significance
In 1847 a 252-acre parcel of land adjoining the Benicia city limits on the east was acquired for a military reserve. First occupation of the post was on April 9, 1849, when two companies of the 2nd Infantry Regiment set up camp to establish Benicia Barracks, which also housed the 3rd Artillery Regiment.
In 1851, after the urging of General Percifer F. Smith, the first Ordnance Supply Depot in the West was established in Benicia. In 1852 it was designated Benicia Arsenal.
For over 100 years, the arsenal was the primary US Army Ordnance facility for the West Coast of the United States. Notable military personnel who were stationed there during this time include Ulysses Grant, Edward Ord, and Joseph Hooker, among others.
The Camel Barns, built in 1855, remain and are now the Museum of History Benicia. The Benicia Arsenal was a staging area during the Civil War for Union troops from the West, and the installation remained a garrisoned post until 1898 when troops were assigned to duty in the Philippines during the Spanish–American War.
During World War I, the Benicia Arsenal gave ordnance support to all large Army installations in the Western States as well as supplying Ordnance material to American expeditionary forces in Siberia. The arsenal is most famous for supplying munitions to Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle for the first bombing raid on Tokyo on April 18, 1942, launched from the USS Hornet.
The Benicia Arsenal was deactivated in 1963, and the facility was closed in 1964. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975, the Benicia Arsenal has long been recognized for its contributions to the nation's military history and the growth and development of California.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Historic ordnance facility spanning 1851 to present, with Civil War-era and WWII buildings.
- Exhibits on munitions production and West Coast defense strategy.
- Grounds feature vintage military structures and repurposed artist studios.
- Setting within restored arsenal complex overlooking Carquinez Strait.
Sources
- https://www.nps.gov/places/benicia-arsenal.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benicia_Arsenal
- https://www.militarymuseum.org/Benicia.html
- https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/ListedResources/Detail/176
- https://www.yesbeniciaarsenalpark.com/history