Storehouse (clock tower) - Benicia Arsenal - Benicia, CA - NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings on Waymarking.com

"This sandstone building was constructed in 1859 and was the first military fortress built in the West. The walls are 2'6" thick and the ceiling height is 14' Building dimensions are 61' x 177.3' with 18,600 square feet of usable space. The lower floor is concrete and the upper is of wood. The roof is gabled and the roofing is asbestos-cement-shingled. Originally, the fortress had three stories with a crenelated roof, two look-out towers, one at the southwestern corner and one at the northwest corner. Two small decorative towers graced the remaining corners. Apertures on the west and east sides of the building were designed for howitzers and the long loophole windows for musketry. The structure was gutted by fire and explosion in 1912 and was restored as a two story building. The front tower was undamaged. A large American-made Seth Thomas clock was installed on it as a memorial to Col. Julian McAllister who commanded the Arsenal from 1860-1864 and 1867-1886. The clock was operated by a heavy metal weight on a cable that slowly unwound on a windlass. A crank was used to wind the cable weekly. It was operative as late as June 14, 1967. During its long history the fortress served as quarters for enlisted men during the Civil War, a storehouse, a munitions depot, chapel and a National Guard Armory." (visit link)

Name of Historic District (as listed on the NRHP): Benicia Arsenal Link to nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com page with the Historic District: [Web Link] Address: Washington Street Benicia, CA How did you determine the building to be a contributing structure?: Narrative found on the internet (Link provided below) Optional link to narrative or database: [Web Link] NRHP Historic District Waymark (Optional): Not listed

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