Fort MacArthur, Pacific Avenue, San Pedro, Los Angeles County, CA

Significance: In 1846 the Mexican governor of Alta California, Pio Pico, directed that a 500 varas square of land facing onto San Pedro Bay be set aside as a government reservation (approximately 44.25 acres). The same boundaries of the original Mexican government reservation were recognized and affirmed by the United States Federal government after the American acquisition of California. In 1888 President Grover Cleveland established the 500 Varas Square as a military reservation. With the advent of America's entrance into the First World War, permanent buildings (housing) were added. Twenty-seven of these permanent buildings dating from two construction periods, the first dating from 1916-18 and the second from 1933-34, remain basically intact. These buildings are architecturally significant as a representation of an institutional application of the then-popular Mission Revival and California Bungalow or Arts and Crafts Styles. The building form two ensembles; one grouped around the Patton Quadrangle and the second gathered around the Parade Ground. Their stature as ensembles is intensified due to their group orientation around these two large open spaces. These buildings are: Bldg. 30-Administration Building, 1916-18; Bldg. 31-Mess Hall; Post Chapel, 1916-18; Bldg. 32-Post Exchange and Gymnasium, 1916-18; Bldg. 41-Guard House and Fire Station, 1916-18; Bldgs. 33, 36, 37, & 40-Company Barracks Buildings, 1916-18; Bldg. 11-Three-family Officers' Quarters, 1916-18; Bldgs. 3, 7, 9, & 10-Double Officers' Quarters, 1916-18; Bldgs. 1 & 5-Single Officers' Quarters, 1916-18; Bldgs. 51, 53, 55, 102, 103, 104, & 105-Double N.C.O. Quarters, 1933-34; Bldg. 50-Three-set N.C.O. Quarters, 1914; 1916-18; Bldgs. 52 & 54-Two-set N.C.O. Quarters, 1916-18; Bldg. 60-Bakery Building, 1916-18; Bldg. 93-Bachelor Officers' Quarters, 1916-18.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-232
Survey number: HABS CA-2206
Building/structure dates: ca. 1918 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: ca. 1934 Subsequent Work