Marina in Monterey County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Former Firing Range Becomes a State Park

Fort Ord Dunes State Park

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2013

1. Former Firing Range Becomes a State Park Marker

Captions: The new park land came with remnants of 15 firing ranges, 12 ammunition bunkers, a sewage plant and over 100 abandoned buildings. (upper right); Clean-up required removing and recycling over 700,000 pounds of spent ammunition and trucking lead contaminated soil to and offsite landfill. (bottom left); Military era buildings and ammo storage bunkers needed to be checked for hazardous materials and prioritized for either preservation or demolition. (bottom center); Planted by the Army to stabilize the dunes, exotic ice plants crowds out native species and will require years of effort to remove. (bottom right).

Inscription. Four miles of beaches and nearly 1000 acres of coastal dunes became part of the California State Parks system in 2007, after superfund cleanup activities were completed on this section of the former Fort Ord Military Reservation. Army use preserved the open space character of the dunes, but left a legacy of exotic plants, abandoned buildings and contaminated soil. Much has been accomplished here since Fort Ord closed in 1994, but years of clean-up and restoration work still lie ahead for park staff and volunteers.

Erected by California State Parks.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Military.

Location. 36° 39.623′ N, 121° 49.29′ W. Marker is in Marina, California, in Monterey County. It can be reached from 8th Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Marina CA 93933, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Central Coast

and specifically on the Coast Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Training to Defend America (a few steps from this marker); Welcome to Fort Ord Dunes State Park! (a few steps from this marker); Stilwell Hall: A Fond Memory (within shouting distance of this marker); A Coastal Attack the Army Couldn’t Stop (within shouting distance of this marker);

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a different marker also named A Coastal Attack the Army Couldn’t Stop (within shouting distance of this marker); Post 694 (approx. 2.9 miles away); Portola-Crespi Monument (approx. 4.1 miles away); Depots (approx. 5.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Marina.

More about this marker. The marker is located in Fort Ord Dunes State Park near the old Stilwell Hall parking lot.

Also see . . . Fort Ord Dunes State Park. The California Department of Parks and Recreation's page for Fort Ord Dunes. (Submitted on September 30, 2013.)

Detail from the Former Firing Range Becomes a State Park Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2013

2. Detail from the Former Firing Range Becomes a State Park Marker

The new park land came with remnants of 15 firing ranges, 12 ammunition bunkers, a sewage plant and over 100 abandoned buildings.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, September 15, 2013

3. Former Firing Range Becomes a State Park Marker

Former Firing Range image. Click for full size.

October 18, 2007

4. Former Firing Range

Former Ammunition Bunkers (to the right of the path) image. Click for full size.

October 18, 2007

5. Former Ammunition Bunkers (to the right of the path)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 29, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,570 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 29, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 4, 5. submitted on September 30, 2013. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.