White Point Military Reservation

{{{PageHeader}} {SocialNetworks}}  (1942-1978) - A World War II Coastal Military Reservation established in 1942 as a sub-post of Fort MacArthur. Abandoned in 1978.

Endicott Period
Two Endicott Period commanders stations and six fire control stations were built on parts of the reservation as early as 1920 but the complete reservation was not fully acquired until July 1942.

World War II


Battery 127 was constructed on the reservation beginning in 1942 as a part of the Los Angeles Harbor Defenses modernization program. This was a standard 100 series battery containing two 16" guns in thick casemated concrete emplacements. The huge guns were mounted in July 1944 and the battery was accepted for service on 11 Sep 1944. The guns were scrapped after the end of the war in 1948, but the concrete casemates and bunker remain today.



Cold War
A U.S. Army Nike Missile Site (LA-43) was built on the lower part of the reservation in 1954 to help protect Los Angeles from Soviet air attack. The site was upgraded to the newer Hercules missiles in 1965 and an underground storage and launch complex was built on the lower part of the reservation. The site remained active until 1975 and in 1978 the property was transferred to the City of Los Angeles.

Current Status
Currently owned by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and operated as a nature preserve and open to the public. The casemates of Battery 127 are open but the internal rooms of the central structure are not. The Nike site is viewable and some of the remaining buildings are open and repurposed. No period gun or carriages are in place.

Sources:

Links:
 * California Military Museum - White Point Military Reservation
 * North American Forts -White Point Military Reservation