Visited: June 2014
Nearby city: San Francisco, CA
Situated on the southern edge of the Golden Gate, Fort Point defended San Francisco Bay following the Mexican War all the way up to World War II.
This impressive brick masonry fort offers breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the surrounding areas. This fort was featured in a memorable scene from Hitchcock's classic Vertigo and many other films. If you are visiting San Francisco, make sure to take a few hours to visit the spot and tour the grounds.
Construction on the fort began in 1853, and was the first U.S. Army fortification built on the Pacific Coast. It was a great strategic location. Construction wrapped up and the first cannons were placed just as the Civil War broke out. The Fort saw no military action during the Civil War, however the Confederate ship, the CSS Shenandoah, set out on a journey in early 1865 all the way around Cape Horn with plans to attack San Francisco. Before the ship reached the Bay Area, the captain learned that the war had ended. Thank goodness he got the word in time!
As military technology improved after the Civil War, brick masonry walls were deemed too ineffective and Fort Point ended up being the last brick masonry fort built by the U.S. Army. When construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge in the 1930s, there were plans to destroy the fort to make way for the bridge. Many architects and historians in the area lobbied hard to keep the fort preserved and plans were made to incorporate the bridge around the existing structure. The Fort acted as headquarters for the duration of construction. During WWII, the Fort was used to guard the minefields and watch for submarines at the harbor entrance. The Fort was named a National Historic Site in 1970, and is managed as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
The Fort is directly under the south end of the Golden Gate Bridge. There is a nice museum and you can tour the grounds by yourself or with a ranger. The views are outstanding, but be prepared for very windy weather!
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