Benicia Arsenal, California

Benicia was the first army arsenal established on the West Coast, operating from 1849 to 1964, when its function was transferred to the larger Tooele Depot in Utah. It provided a defense for the gold mines of the Sierras, and supplied the army with weapons for wars against the Native Americans. During the Korean War it was a repair center for cannons, tanks, and trucks, and served as a Nike missile maintenance depot for some of the Bay Area's Nike missile sites until the 1960s. When the base closed, the port areas were transferred to a new company, Benicia Industries. The largest tenant is the automobile logistics company Amports (who also manage the Port of Benicia), which can store as many as 42,000 cars at Benicia at any given time. The clocktower building, which still stands at the top of the hill overlooking the Port, was the main storehouse for munitions through the 1880s. Unexploded bombs and other explosives are scattered underground at a number of sites around the arsenal grounds, including many public and privately owned areas. The army corps is in the midst of a major survey and disposal program all over the site.