Who We Are

The Benicia Arsenal Park Task Force is a group of local advocates—Benicia citizens and property owners, real estate and city planning professionals, historians, and artists—working to preserve Arsenal Historic District C on Jefferson Ridge as a park for residents and visitors to enjoy.

We believe a park is the best way to honor and protect this nationally recognized historic gem—a spectacular collection of mid-19th century military buildings and open spaces, almost unchanged over 150 years and tied not only to the origins of Benicia, but to establishment of California as a state and to the nation’s western expansion.

Our mission is to raise awareness and attract the support and funding necessary to establish a park that will honor and protect the nationally recognized Arsenal Historic District forever, working closely and in the spirit of cooperation and collaboration with the community, property owners, and city, state, and federal governments.

Our vision is to create a park in the Arsenal Historic District that will promote appreciation of this historic asset, and provide opportunities for recreation and heritage tourism.

Task force members have worked to protect the Arsenal Historic District, and especially District C on Jefferson Ridge, for more than 20 years, continuing the efforts of the many citizens advocating for a state park there since the Arsenal closed in 1964. Today, the pressures for development are greater than ever, with the city, region, and state facing a severe housing shortage.

We believe Benicia can have a beautiful park in the Arsenal while also meeting its housing needs, promoting economic development, and maintaining a good environment for the city’s industrial businesses. In fact, having a park here, in Benicia’s underserved east side, is critical to the quality of life of a growing town. Benicia should be a place that honors its history and offers all residents a safe place to live with equal access to amenities like parks. We advocate for creative planning to achieve these goals.

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Today, the Benicia Arsenal Historic District is threatened by development. Under new state laws, some construction could even be approved and built with no public review, no environmental review, and no assessment of impacts on historic resources.

Help us preserve this national, state, and local treasure as a park for all to enjoy!

Find out what you can do.