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Fort Point National Historic Site > Fort Point Museum
Fort Point National Historic Site > Fort Point Museum

Fort Point National Historic Site > Fort Point Museum

Fort Point has stood guard at the narrows of the Golden Gate for over 150 years.

The Fort has been called "the pride of the Pacific," "the Gibraltar of the West Coast," and "one of the most perfect models of masonry in America." When construction began during the height of the California Gold Rush, Fort Point was planned as the most formidable deterrence America could offer to a naval attack on California. Although its guns never fired a shot in anger, the "Fort at Fort Point" as it was originally named has witnessed Civil War, obsolescence, earthquake, bridge construction, reuse for World War II, and preservation as a National Historic Site.

Built for the Civil War

Fort Point was built between 1853 and 1861 by the U.S. Army Engineers as part of a defense system of forts planned for the protection of San Francisco Bay. Designed at the height of the Gold Rush, the Fort and its companion fortifications would protect the Bay's important commercial and military installations against foreign attack. The Fort was built in the Army's traditional "Third System" style of military architecture (a standard adopted in the 1820s), and would be the only fortification of this impressive design constructed west of the Mississippi River. This fact bears testimony to the importance the military gave San Francisco and the gold fields during the 1850s.

Although Fort Point never saw battle, the building has tremendous significance due to its military history, architecture, and association with maritime history. To learn more about Fort Point before, during and after the Civil War, please visit Fort Point, 1846-1876.

Army's use of Fort Point during the 20th Century

In the years after the Civil War, Fort Point became underutilized and was used intermittently as an army barracks. The pre-Civil War cannons, so valuable when they were originally installed, became obsolete and were eventually removed. During World War I, the Army remodeled Fort Point for use as a detention barracks, though the building was never ultimately used for that purpose. During the 1920s, the property was used by the Presidio for housing unmarried officers and different military trade schools. During World War II, Fort Point was once again used for military purposes. Soldiers stationed at Fort Point dutifully guarded the entrance of the Golden Gate from submarine attack.

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Taken on: November 12, 2017
Sets appears in:   • San Francisco Fort Point Museum #2   
Groups appears in:   • California National Park Service   
Camera: Sony ILCE-7, f/3.5, 1/1600 sec, 28mm, ISO 6400 (more info) (hide info)
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ISO: 6400
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Fort Point National Historic Site > Fort Point Museum

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