Directory of National Historic Chemical Landmarks

Landmarks are organized by year of designation.

Year Landmark
2024

Crest: A Breakthrough in Oral Care
Chemical Hearth

2023 Bettye Washington Greene, Ph.D.
Science History Institute
Marie Maynard Daly
Insulin Development and Commercialization
2022 The Invention of Warfarin
Discovery of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV
George Eastman, Kodak, and the Birth of Consumer Photography
Oesper Collections in the History of Chemistry
Raney® Nickel: A Life-Changing Catalyst
Ames Laboratory and Uranium Production in World War II
2021 Saul Hertz and the Medical Uses of Radioiodine
Birth of the Petrochemical Industry
2020 No designations
2019 St. Elmo Brady, the First African-American Ph.D. in Chemistry
Steroid Medicines and Upjohn
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
2018 Plutonium-238 Production for Space Exploration
2017 Infrared Spectrometer and the Exploration of Mars
Chlorofluorocarbons and Ozone Depletion
2016 Discovery of Ivermectin
The Vitamin B Complex
Willard Libby and Radiocarbon Dating 
2015 Edwin Land and Instant Photography
Isolation of Phytochrome
The Keeling Curve: Studies of Atmospheric CO2 at Mauna Loa
Kelly Pneumatic Iron Process
2014 Thomas Edison, Chemist
I. M. Kolthoff and Modern Analytical Chemistry
Rachel Holloway Lloyd, Pioneer American Woman in Chemistry
2013 Flavor Chemistry Research at the USDA
Mellon Institute of Industrial Research at Carnegie Mellon University

Wetherill Laboratory of Chemistry at Purdue University
2012 DayGlo Fluorescent Pigments
Legacy of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring
2011 NMR and MRI: Applications in Chemistry and Medicine
2010 Discovery of Fullerenes
Development of Diagnostic Test Strips
2009 Deciphering the Genetic Code
Development of the Pennsylvania Oil Industry
2008 Acrylic Emulsion Technology
Production and Distribution of Radioisotopes at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Production of Penicillin through Deep-tank Fermentation
2007 Chemistry at Jamestown
Scotch Transparent Tape
Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS)
Food Dehydration Technology
2006 Tide Synthetic Detergent
Development of Baking Powder
Neil Bartlett and the Reactive Noble Gases
2005 Columbia Dry Cell Battery
Selman Waksman and Antibiotics
George Washington Carver: Chemist, Teacher, Symbol
2004 Carl and Gerty Cori and Carbohydrate Metabolism
Cotton Products Research
Development of the Beckman pH Meter
2003 High Performance Carbon Fibers
Foundations of Polymer Science: Herman Mark and the Polymer Research Institute
Discovery of Camptothecin and Taxol
2002 Frozen Foods Research: Time-Temperature Tolerance Studies
Alice Hamilton and the Development of Occupational Medicine
Noyes Laboratory at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Albert Szent-Györgyi and the Discovery of Vitamin C
Norbert Rillieux and a Revolution in Sugar Processing
2001 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
John W. Draper and the Founding of the American Chemical Society, 1876
Charles Herty and the Savannah Pulp and Paper Laboratory
Hall Process: Production and Commercialization of Aluminum
2000 Foundations of Polymer Science: Wallace Carothers and the Development of Nylon
Nucleic Acid and Protein Research at Rockefeller University
Joseph Priestley: Discoverer of Oxygen (Bowood House)
Moses Gomberg and Organic Free Radicals
Discovery of Helium in Natural Gas
Smith Memorial Collection at the University of Pennsylvania
Discovery of Transuranium Elements at Berkeley Lab
1999 Discovery and Development of Penicillin
Polypropylene and High-density Polyethylene
Separation of Rare Earth Elements
“Marker Degradation” and Creation of the Mexican Steroid Hormone Industry 1938–1945
Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier: The Chemical Revolution
Percy Julian: Synthesis of Physostigmine
Foundations of Polymer Science: Hermann Staudinger and Macromolecules
1998 C.V. Raman: The Raman Effect
Tagamet: Discovery of Histamine H2-Receptor Antagonists
Fluid Bed Reactor
Havemeyer Hall at Columbia University
U.S. Synthetic Rubber Program, 1939-1945
Discovery of the Commercial Processes for Making Calcium Carbide and Acetylene
1997 Gilman Hall at the University of California, Berkeley
Hall Process: Production and Commercialization of Aluminum
Commercialization of Radiation Chemistry
Electrolytic Production of Bromine
1996 Sohio Acrylonitrile Process
Modern Water-based Paint: Kem-Tone Wall Finish
Houdry Process for Catalytic Cracking
Williams-Miles History of Chemistry Collection at Harding University
1995 Universal Oil Products (UOP) Riverside Laboratory
Acetyl Chemicals from Coal Gasification
Foundations of Polymer Science: Wallace Carothers and the Development of Nylon
Edward W. Morley and the Atomic Weight of Oxygen
1994 Joseph Priestley: Discoverer of Oxygen (Priestley House)
Chandler Laboratory at Lehigh University
1993 Bakelite®: The World’s First Synthetic Plastic

Listed by Landmark category. Not all Landmarks are listed below.

Consumer Products

Cradles of Chemistry

Frontiers of Knowledge

Industrial Advances

Medical Miracles

Pioneers

U.S. Landmarks are listed alphabetically by state.

State Landmark
Alabama George Washington Carver: Chemist, Teacher, Symbol
Alaska There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
Arizona There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
Arkansas Williams-Miles History of Chemistry Collection at Harding University
California Chlorofluorocarbons and Ozone Depletion
Commercialization of Radiation Chemistry

Development of the Beckman pH Meter
Discovery of Transuranium Elements at Berkeley Lab
Flavor Chemistry Research at the USDA
Frozen Foods Research: Time-Temperature Tolerance Studies
Infrared Spectrometer and the Exploration of Mars
Gilman Hall at the University of California, Berkeley
The Keeling Curve: Studies of Atmospheric CO2
NMR and MRI: Applications in Chemistry and Medicine
Colorado There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
Connecticut U.S. Synthetic Rubber Program
Delaware Foundations of Polymer Science: Wallace Carothers and the Development of Nylon
District of Columbia Bakelite®: The World’s First Synthetic Plastic
Florida Thomas Edison, Chemist
Georgia Charles Herty and the Savannah Pulp and Paper Laboratory
Hawaii The Keeling Curve: Studies of Atmospheric CO2
Idaho There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
Illinois Alice Hamilton and the Development of Occupational Medicine
Discovery and Development of Penicillin
Noyes Laboratory at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Universal Oil Products (UOP) Riverside Laboratory 
Willard Libby and Radiocarbon Dating
Indiana Crest: A Breakthrough in Oral Care
Development of Baking Powder
Development of Diagnostic Test Strips
Insulin Development and Commercialization
Percy Julian: Synthesis of Physostigmine
Wetherill Laboratory of Chemistry at Purdue University
Iowa Ames Laboratory and Uranium Production in World War II
Kansas Discovery of Helium in Natural Gas
Kentucky Kelly Pneumatic Iron Process
Louisiana Cotton Products Research
Fluid Bed Reactor
Norbert Rillieux and a Revolution in Sugar Processing
Maine There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
Maryland Deciphering the Genetic Code
Isolation of Phytochrome
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Massachusetts Edwin Land and Instant Photography
Saul Hertz and the Medical Uses of Radioiodine
Michigan Bettye Washington Greene, Ph.D.
Electrolytic Production of Bromine
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Moses Gomberg and Organic Free Radicals
Thomas Edison, Chemist
Minnesota Scotch Transparent Tape
I. M. Kolthoff and Modern Analytical Chemistry
Mississippi There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
Missouri Carl and Gerty Cori and Carbohydrate Metabolism
Columbia Dry Cell Battery
Montana There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
Nebraska Rachel Holloway Lloyd, Pioneer American Woman in Chemistry
Nevada There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
New Hampshire Separation of Rare Earth Elements
New Jersey Selman Waksman and Antibiotics
Discovery and Development of Penicillin 
Discovery of Ivermectin 
Thomas Edison, Chemist
The Vitamin B Complex
New Mexico There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
New York Foundations of Polymer Science: Herman Mark and the Polymer Research Institute
George Eastman, Kodak, and the Birth of Consumer Photography
Havemeyer Hall at Columbia University
John W. Draper and the Founding of the American Chemical Society
Marie Maynard Daly
NMR and MRI: Applications in Chemistry and Medicine
Nucleic Acid and Protein Research at Rockefeller University
Production of Penicillin through Deep-tank Fermentation
North Carolina Discovery of Camptothecin and Taxol
Discovery of the Commercial Processes for Making Calcium Carbide and Acetylene
North Dakota There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
Ohio Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS)
Columbia Dry Cell Battery
Crest: A Breakthrough in Oral Care
DayGlo Fluorescent Pigments
Edward W. Morley and the Atomic Weight of Oxygen
Hall Process: Production and Commercialization of Aluminum
High Performance Carbon Fibers
Modern Water-based Paint: Kem-Tone Wall Finish
Oesper Collections in the History of Chemistry
Sohio Acrylonitrile Process
Tide Synthetic Detergent
U.S. Synthetic Rubber Program
Oklahoma Polypropylene and High-density Polyethylene (HDPE)
Oregon There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
Pennsylvania Acrylic Emulsion Technology
Chandler Laboratory at Lehigh University
Development of the Pennsylvania Oil Industry
Discovery of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV
Food Dehydration Technology
Hall Process: Production and Commercialization of Aluminum
Houdry Process for Catalytic Cracking
Joseph Priestley: Discoverer of Oxygen
Legacy of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring
Marker Degradation: Creation of the Mexican Steroid Hormone Industry 1938–1945
Mellon Institute of Industrial Research at Carnegie Mellon University
Science History Institute
Smith Memorial Collection at the University of Pennsylvania
Tagamet: Discovery of Histamine H2-Receptor Antagonists
Rhode Island Development of Baking Powder
South Carolina Plutonium-238 Production for Space Exploration
South Dakota There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
Tennessee Acetyl Chemicals from Coal Gasification
Production and Distribution of Radioisotopes at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Raney® Nickel: A Life-Changing Catalyst
Texas Discovery of Fullerenes
Sohio Acrylonitrile Process
Utah There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
Vermont There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
Virginia Chemical Hearth
Chemistry at Jamestown
Washington There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.
West Virginia Birth of the Petrochemical Industry
Wisconsin The Invention of Warfarin
Wyoming There are currently no Landmarks in this state. Take action and nominate.