FORT POINT
San Francisco, California, USA
The first fortification was built here to guard the Golden Gate entrance to San Francisco Harbour by the Spanish around 1776. The fort was built to guard against British and Russian incursions in the area. In 1794 the Castillo de San Joaquin was completed housing a dozen cannon. In 1821 Mexico gained independence from Spain and California became part of the new state. In 1835 the Mexicans abandoned the Castillo and moved to Sonoma leaving the Castillo to crumble.
In 1846 the Mexican-American War broke out and US forces captured the half derelict Castillo and spiked the cannons.
In 1848 California became part of the USA and two years later joined the Union. The goldrush of 1849 created a massive surge in population and the US Military recognised the strategic importance of the Castillo de San Joaquin. Work commenced in 1853 which demolished the Spanish Castle entirely and started work on a fortification more in keeping with other US Forts elsewhere. The importance of the Fort can be intimated by the fact that during this period 30 Forts like this were built on the East Coast of the USA – only one was built on the West Coast – this one: Fort Point.
After 8 years the Fort was still not finished but with the American Civil War looming in 1861 the US mounted its first cannons here. Throughout the Civil War Union troops garrisoned Fort Point awaiting an attack that never came. Ironically, the attack was about to happen as the CSS Shenandoah was on its way to attack San Francisco when the war finished in August 1865.
After the Civil War Forts of this kind became obsolete and the Army left soon after. However, the Fort was considered useful and the famous granite seawall (off which Kim Novak throws herself in Hitchcock’s Vertigo) was built in 1869.
The Fort withstood the 1906 earthquake well and spent the next few years as a barracks and sometime prison. It was briefly regarrisoned in World War II but since that time has been used for storage and similar rather mundane purposes.
With the release of Vertigo in 1958, Fort Point gained a new lease of life as a Hitchcock tourist spot and, of course, standing underneath the Golden Gate Bridge means it is one of America’s most familiar Fortresses – even if most people hardly notice it is there.
© Text copyright - Raving Loony
Productions and Andrew J. Müller
© Photos and Artwork - Andrew J. Müller & Jacqui Harris
© Web Design and Layout - Andrew J. Müller
2019
