American Trona Corporation Building
historic place
The American Trona Corporation Building is located on Pacific Avenue in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. This industrial building was constructed between 1916 and 1917. The American Trona Corporation of California built it to process and store salt potash, which was mined from Searles Lake in the Mojave Desert. The building originally contained crushers, separators, and a system of conveyor belts. Architecturally, it is an example of early West Coast industrial design, noted for its exposed timber construction. It is considered one of the largest existing wood structural spaces in an industrial building on the West Coast. In 1920, the building was offered for sale. During the 1920s and 1930s, it served as a sawmill and warehouse. In 1942, it became part of the U.S. Army Fort MacArthur and has remained under military ownership since then, transferring to the U.S. Air Force in 1982. The American Trona Corporation Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 30, 1984. Its historical significance lies in its original industrial purpose and its distinctive timber construction.