Fort Point National Historic Site
At the entrance to San Francisco Bay, directly beneath the span of the Golden Gate Bridge, stands the Fort Point National Historic Site, a place where engineering, military history, and geography come together.
Built between 1853 and 1861, Fort Point was designed to guard the entrance to the bay, a strategic location that had become increasingly important during the California Gold Rush. Constructed of brick and granite, the fort was on of the most advanced coastal defense structures of its time, with multiple tiers of cannon positions arranged to protect the harbor.
Although it was completed just as the Civil War began, the fort never saw battle. It still remaines an active military post for years, adapting as technology and needs changed.
When the Golden Gate Bridge was built in the 1930s, there was serious discussion about removing the fort. Instead, engineers choose to preserve it, redesigning the bridge so that it would arch above the structure rather than replace it.
Recognizing its historical significance, the site was designated a national historic site in 1970 by Congress and is now maintained by the National Park Service.
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