Saline Valley Salt Tram Historic Structure
Why it's listed
A double-cabled aerial tramway crosses the Inyo Range in Inyo County, California, running roughly 13.5 miles from Saline Valley to a terminal near Swansea and Keeler. Built in 1911 and 1912 to move salt out of Saline Valley, it climbs from 1,100 feet to 8,500 feet at the crest of the range, then drops to 3,600 feet. Five sections, each with control stations and electric motors, moved cylindrical carriers holding about 700 pounds of salt, for a capacity of 20 tons per hour. Trenton Iron Works built it after the Saline Valley Salt Company judged a railroad impracticable. Construction used one million board feet of lumber and 600 tons of iron. The cost exhausted the company, and several operators followed. Salt was produced until 1930, and the last operator went into receivership in 1935. It is noted for the steepest grades of any tramway in the United States. Many towers remain, some still holding steel buckets, while the terminals have been stripped.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the tram is significant for engineering, industry and transportation. It had steeper grades than any other tramway in the United States. It is described as one of the most scenic, best preserved, oldest and largest of its kind remaining.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 74000514, listed December 31, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N of Keeler between Gordo Peak and New York Butte, Keeler |
|---|---|
| County | Inyo County |
| Listed | December 31, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000514 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1911-1935 |
| Architect / builder | Trenton Iron Works, a subsidiary of the American Steel and Wire Company (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Engineering, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked as deteriorated and altered; terminals and structures near roads have been carted off by wood gatherers and junk collectors, though many towers remain. Status marked unoccupied. |
| Acreage | 164 |
| Coordinates | 36.60914, -117.85709 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 74000514.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q109973327
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.