Navy Depot, Foreign Trade Zone 4, and Historic Designation
During World War II, the warehouse was turned over to the U.S. Navy for use as a supply depot. Returned to civilian use after the war, the fourth foreign trade zone in the United States was established at the warehouse in September 1949; it followed the success of such zones in New York, New Orleans and San Francisco. From 1949 to 1956 (when the foreign trade zone was terminated), the warehouse became "in effect a 'foreign island'" or "free city" where important goods could be manipulated, sorted, graded, inspected, and re-exported without payment of duties unless and until they were taken from the warehouse for distribution within the United States. By 1950, more than 100,000 local citizens were employed directly in foreign trade grossing $530 million, and the Los Angeles Foreign Trade Zone at Municipal Warehouse No. 1 was credited with helping Los Angeles become a major center of world trade.
Over the years, as items were held for various customs or other reasons, Municipal Warehouse No. 1 became the home for a number of unusual items. In 1949, a group of camels being imported from Australia for a Shriners convention were held at the warehouse while quarantine requirements were met. And when an American museum imported the railroad car that carried Winston Churchill's body to burial, the railcar got no further than the port and was stored for many years in the Municipal Warehouse No. 1.
In the 1970s, the introduction of cargo containerization eliminated the need for break-bulk warehousing, but Municipal Warehouse No. 1 has continued to be used as a bonded warehouse at the Port. It also serves as a visual landmark for ships entering the Port. In 2000, Municipal Warehouse No. 1 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places based on its contributions to international trade and commerce along the Pacific Coast.
Read more about this topic: Municipal Warehouse No. 1
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