Grey sky view three-tiers of brick and masonry casemates with standing above parade ground, Fort Point, San Francisco, USA
An information board at Fort Point reads: 'Fort Point is the only brick fort on the West Coast of the United States. Built by the United States Army between 1853 and 1861, it defended the San Francisco harbor against invasion by foreign powers. This fort is a classic example of early 19th century coastal fortifications. The Civil War broke out shortly after the fort's completion. Advances in technology during the war, such as rifled artillery and iron-clad ships, made it less effective as a defense. Still, it defended the harbor another thirty years before the fort's cannons were removed in the 1890s. In the 1930s engineers used Fort Point as their Headquarters when building the Golden Gate Bridge. Then, during World War 2, it defended the harbor against enemy submarines. In 1970 Congress made Fort Point a National Historic Site, part of the National Park System.' Three tiers of casemates (vaulted rooms housing cannons) rise above the parade ground. There was also a roof-top barbette tier, with additional guns and a sod covering to absorb the impact of enemy cannon fire. Fort Point never fired its guns in anger. 19th century artillery pieces are displayed at the site. A Napoleon 12-pounder field gun from the Civil War era stands in the first tier casemate on the left. A US 10-inch siege and garrison mortar Model 1841 stands in a casemate on the right. Fort Point mounted several mortars of this type on the roof-top barbette tier.
Size: 5472px × 3648px
Location: Casemates, Fort Point, Marine Drive, Golden Gate, San Francisco, California, USA
Photo credit: © robert harrison / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 10-, 12-pounder, 1841, brick, bricks, california, cannons, casemates, coastal, displays, drive, emplacements, field, fort, fortifications, fortress, francisco, garrison, grey, ground, gun, guns, marine, masonry, model, mortar, museum, napoleon, parade, point, red, rooms, san, siege, sky, tiers, usa, vaulted, view
