American Trona Corporation Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1916-1917 for the American Trona Corp., this industrial building in San Pedro measures about 302 by 88 feet and stands 48 feet tall. It was designed to process and store salt from Searles Lake, shipped by rail, for potash and soda fertilizer. The plant never reached full operation, and its machinery was removed in 1919. Later it served as a sawmill and warehouse, and in 1943 the Army acquired it as part of Fort MacArthur. The ground floor is reinforced concrete, while the upper level is heavy timber with trusses, catwalks and a modular bay system. Exterior windows and doors were changed in 1943, and interior spaces were divided in later decades, but the exposed timber interior remains largely intact. The building was listed as one of the largest surviving wood structural spaces in a West Coast industrial building and for its link to California's potash industry.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an early West Coast industrial example of exposed heavy timber construction. Its interior contains one of the largest surviving wood structural spaces in West Coast industrial buildings. It also relates to the early California potash and soda industry. The State Historic Preservation Officer recommended listing under Criteria A and C.
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 84000785, listed August 30, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Pacific Ave., Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | August 30, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000785 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1916-1917 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and occupied; the building is military-owned and has been altered over time, but the interior timber structure remains largely intact. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 33.71751, -118.28693 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 84000785.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4745280
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.