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All of the buildings on the complex are built of native California
sandstone quarried right off the site. Their massive,
austere style set a precedent at the Arsenal that was followed for most
of the buildings constructed in the 1850's. The Arsenal is one of only
three locations where native California sandstone was used for US
military installations. The other two are Ft. Sill in Oklahoma and Ft. Tejon near Gorman, CA.
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Building #7, "Silas Casey building" one of the original storehouses erected in the Arsenal,
is the repository for our collection of artifacts as well as the new
Industrial Exhibit,
the
Curator's office, the volunteers room and The educational department
office. The staff and volunteers are
working hard on continuing improvements to expand the museum and house
our growing collections. |
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Building #8 "Museum Office" was originally the Engine House. This building not only served as an engine house but also
a guardhouse, a cartridge bag shop, and most recently, an artist's
studio. The keystone decoration of a cannon ball surmounted by a flame
is the symbol of the US Army Ordnance Depot. |
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Building #9 houses on its second floor the main museum exhibit
"California's Great
inland Port" . The
first phase of a new interactive exhibits created by Anne Toxey and
Patrick McMillan of Toxey/McMillan Design Associates that was installed
on 2005.
This building is also home to the "Captain Charles P. Stone Hall" on its
first level. |
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Building #10 "The Powder Magazine" is a unique
adventure, built in 1857 from native Benicia sandstone by French
stonemasons. This is one of the few remaining examples of the
stonemasons' art in California, from the vaulted ceilings to the
carved capitals on the pillars. The Museum has restored this
building and is developing a separate display of Benicia Arsenal
History and is viewable by appointment only at the present time. |
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"Spenger Memorial Garden" The garden is located behind
building #9 and was dedicated on 2008 to the memory of
Catherine and Paul Spenger. |
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