Fort Point National Historic Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Point National Historic Site |
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Fort Point beneath the Golden Gate Bridge
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 Fort Point National Historic Site
Location in San Francisco
Fort Point National Historic Site
Location in San Francisco Bay Area
Fort Point National Historic Site
Location in California
Fort Point National Historic Site
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | San Francisco, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Area | 29 acres (12 ha) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Established | 16 October 1970 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Visitors | 1,682,041 (in 2005) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Governing body | National Park Service | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Fort Point National Historic Site | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Official name: Castillo De San Joaquín | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Reference #: | 82 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Designated: | 10/16/1970 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Reference #: | 70000146 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Fort Point is a historic fort located right at the entrance to San Francisco Bay in California. It sits on the southern side of the famous Golden Gate, which is the narrow strait connecting the bay to the Pacific Ocean. This fort was once known as the Castillo de San Joaquín, which means "Saint Joachim's Castle" in Spanish.
This strong stone fort was finished just before the American Civil War. Its main job was to protect San Francisco Bay from enemy warships. Today, Fort Point is a special place called Fort Point National Historic Site. It's managed by the National Park Service and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Many people visit Fort Point to learn about its history and to get amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge right above it.
Contents
Exploring Fort Point's Past
Fort Point has a long and interesting history, starting even before the United States existed. It played a key role in defending San Francisco Bay for many years.
Spanish Beginnings (1700s)
In 1769, Spain arrived in the San Francisco area. By 1776, they had built the first European settlements there, including a mission and a military base called a presidio. To protect their new lands from other countries like Britain and Russia, Spain decided to build a fort.
They chose a spot called Punta del Cantil Blanco, which means "Point of the White Cliff". This cliff was at the narrowest part of the bay's entrance. In 1794, they built the Castillo de San Joaquín there. It was made of adobe (a type of mud brick) and had nine to thirteen cannons.
Mexican Control (Early 1800s)
Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821. This meant they took control of the region and the fort. However, in 1835, the Mexican army moved away to Sonoma. Without anyone to look after it, the adobe walls of the castillo started to crumble.
In 1846, during the Mexican–American War, U.S. forces captured the empty fort. They disabled the cannons so no one else could use them. Around this time, the "Point of the White Cliff" became known as "Castle Point," which later became "Fort Point" when the U.S. took over.
The United States Takes Over (Mid-1800s)
After the U.S. won the war in 1848, California became a U.S. state in 1850. The Gold Rush of 1849 brought many people to the area. San Francisco Bay became very important for trade and defense. Military leaders decided to build strong forts to protect it.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers started building the current Fort Point in 1853. The plan was to place the cannons very close to the water. This way, cannonballs could bounce across the water's surface and hit enemy ships below their waterline. Workers had to blast away a 90-foot (27-meter) cliff to get the fort just 15 feet (4.6 meters) above sea level.
The fort had walls that were seven feet thick! It was built with many levels for cannons, a common design for forts of that time. Fort Point was the only fort of its kind on the West Coast, making it very special. In 1854, an inspector called it "the key to the whole Pacific Coast."
About 200 workers, many of them miners who had lost their jobs, worked for eight years to build the fort. In 1861, as the American Civil War was about to begin, the army placed the first cannons at the fort.
Fort Point During the Civil War
During the Civil War, soldiers at Fort Point were ready for battle, but no enemy ever attacked. A Confederate ship, the CSS Shenandoah, planned to attack San Francisco. However, on its way, the captain learned that the war had ended in August 1865.
After the war, new types of powerful cannons showed that thick masonry walls like Fort Point's were not as effective anymore. The army eventually moved out, and the fort was not continuously used after that. However, it was still important enough to be protected. In 1869, a granite seawall was built. In 1882, the fort was officially named Fort Winfield Scott, but it later went back to being called Fort Point.
Into a New Century (1900s)
By 1892, the army started building new concrete forts with modern steel cannons. All of Fort Point's old cannons were removed and sold for scrap metal. The fort was slightly damaged in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. It was used for barracks, training, and storage for many years. During World War II, soldiers from the 6th U.S. Coast Artillery were stationed there. They guarded minefields and an anti-submarine net across the Golden Gate.
Saving Fort Point
In the 1930s, plans for the Golden Gate Bridge called for Fort Point to be torn down. But the bridge's Chief Engineer, Joseph Strauss, changed the bridge's design to save the fort! He said, "While the old fort has no military value now, it remains nevertheless a fine example of the mason's art.... It should be preserved and restored as a national monument." The bridge now arches right over the fort, protecting it.
Efforts to save the fort continued after World War II. On October 16, 1970, President Richard Nixon signed a bill that made Fort Point a National Historic Site.
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Fort Point in 1934, with the Golden Gate Bridge being built
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A view of the fort from directly under the bridge
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The northwest wall of Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge arch
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Inside Fort Point, showing a wooden structure on a circular staircase
Landmark Status
Fort Point is recognized as California Historical Landmark #82. It is officially listed under its original Spanish name, Castillo De San Joaquín.
Fun Activities at Fort Point
The rocky area north of the fort is a popular spot for surfers during the winter months. They come to ride the waves that form there.
Fort Point in Movies and Games
Fort Point is a very recognizable place, so it has appeared in many movies, TV shows, and video games!
Movies Featuring Fort Point
- In the 1958 movie Vertigo, a character jumps into San Francisco Bay from this spot.
- The 1967 movie Point Blank shows the fort as a location for a scene.
- In the 1977 comedy High Anxiety, a phone booth scene takes place right under the Golden Gate Bridge at Fort Point.
- The 1985 James Bond film A View To a Kill includes aerial shots of the fort.
- In the 1999 movie Bicentennial Man, Fort Point is shown as a busy market.
- The 2014 film Dawn of the Planet of the Apes uses Fort Point's armory for human characters to get weapons.
- The 2019 film The Last Black Man in San Francisco has several scenes filmed around the fort.
Games Featuring Fort Point
- A building similar to Fort Point is in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
- Fort Point is also included in the video game NBA Street.
- You can find Fort Point in the game Midtown Madness 2.
- It's one of the surf spots in Transworld Surf.
- Fort Point is a mission location in Watch Dogs 2.
- The fort and the Golden Gate Bridge are recreated in Duke Nukem 3D 20th Anniversary World Tour.
TV Shows Featuring Fort Point
- In The Amazing Race 16, teams had to figure out a clue related to a building's height and features at Fort Point.
- An episode of The West Wing called "The Black Vera Wang" mentions Fort Point as a target for a foiled attack.
- The TV show Emergency! featured a rescue scene above the fort on the Golden Gate Bridge.
- Murder, She Wrote shows Fort Point in its opening credits for the episode "Birds of a Feather."
Other Media
- The album cover for Editors' album, The Back Room, features an image of Fort Point.
- The 2008 We Players theater company performed a play called Macbeth by William Shakespeare right at Fort Point.
Images for kids
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Middle level of Fort Point
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Cannons on display at Fort Point
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Interior of Fort Point
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The courtyard of the fort
See Also
- Fort Point Lighthouse
- 49-Mile Scenic Drive
- Alcatraz Island
- Presidio of San Francisco
