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Fort Point San Francisco August 16, 2008
updated 2/25/2008 return to 20th Maine homepage return to Calendar of Events |
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Fort Point Publicity Flyer can be downloaded by "right clicking" your mouse (HERE) (350kb) and selecting "save target as..." to your personal desktop.
IMPORTANT NOTE: this event is subject to cancellation or rescheduling (with or without much notice) because of either construction, or high national threat level. At this time, the Fort is planning to be open on Fridays through Sundays during the seismic upgrading to the bridge. The Fort is open rain or shine. However, if severe, the event may also be cancelled due to inclement weather without notice.
This page contains the following information: o Contact Info and Links to National Parks Official Fort Point Website o History of Fort Point o Public Information o Reenactor Information o Schedule of Activities at the Fort o Directions to Fort Point and Presidio Map o Hotels near Fort Point
NOTE: this page works best in MS Internet Explorer.
Contact Information
Contact Mike Musante (mikemusante@hotmail.com or 510-594-8798), Ed Byberg or Joe Marti for information about reenactors and the event. For information about the Fort, please feel free to call the rangers at (415) 556-1693.
In the past, a "high" or orange terror alert status would have closed roads leading up to the bridge as well as the Fort. This may no longer be the case. Please confirm on the day of the event. For updated terror alert status, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/index.html .
This website is designed to provide information for reenactors (as well as public) regarding the upcoming Fort Point event. For more information about the fort, check out the following links: Fort Point General Info: http://www.nps.gov/fopo/index.htm Fort Point Exhibits: http://www.nps.gov/fopo/exhibits.htm Fort Point 1848-1876: http://www.nps.gov/prsf/coast_defense/third_system/fort_point/ftpoint.htm San Francisco Virtual Museum: http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist5/civwar.html Scenes of Wonder and Curiosity in California by James M. Hutchings (1862) http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/scenes_of_wonder_and_curiosity/san_francisco.html
History of Fort Point
Fort Point was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1853 and 1861 to prevent entrance of a hostile fleet into San Francisco Bay.
The fort was designed to mount 126 massive cannon. Rushed to completion at the beginning of the Civil War, Fort Point was first garrisoned in February of 1861 by Company I, 3rd U.S. Artillery Regiment. The fort was occupied throughout the Civil War, but the advent of faster, more powerful rifled cannon made brick forts such as Fort Point obsolete. In 1886 the troops were withdrawn, and the last cannon were removed about 1900. The fort was then used for storage and training purposes for many years.
Between 1933 and 1937 the fort was used as a base of operations for the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. During World War II, Fort Point was occupied by about 100 soldiers who manned searchlights and rapid-fire cannon mounted atop the fort as part of the protection of a submarine net strung across the entrance to the Bay.
Fort Point is the only third system brick fort on the West Coast of the United States. It became a National Historic Site on October 16th, 1970.
Go to the links above for more info on Fort Point or click here for a great website about civil war fortifications: http://civilwarfortifications.com
Public Information
The fort is open to the visiting public from 10am until 5pm. Due to bridge construction, the Fort is open only from Friday through Sunday at this time. This is your chance to see members of local reenactment groups and Civil War organizations perform living history demonstrations as well as talk about their organizations and research. We will have infantry and artillery drills as well as civilian, musician and medical demonstrations. For more information, please contact the rangers at the Fort at (415) 556-1693.
Reenactor Information
All
reenactors interested in attending the next Fort Point event, please read
the below message and RSVP with Mike Musante. You can contact me by
sending an email (mikemusante@hotmail.com) or calling at (510) 594-8798.
Please note that this is only a one day
event (Saturday only).
A Sergeant will be appointed to take charge of guard duty at the sally port and guard room. Volunteers are needed for these 30 or 60 minute time slots.
It is the responsibility of the unit commanders to ensure their men fall in on time for drill. Schedules will be posted in the guard room and sally port and given to unit commanders. Also, the musicians will march into the Fort 5 minutes before drill to draw the public in.
Please plan on engaging the public
and welcoming them into the fort. However, it is important to
remember that the rangers do not want any first person impressions.
For
instance, we should not talk as if we are "General
Butterfield" unless a specific demonstration is approved by the
rangers..
Civilian Tea If enough civilians are able to attend, a civilian tea may be held at 2:00pm on the second floor. Ladies (including those attached to military units) are asked to bring a chair, cup, saucer and a dessert item to share if they can. They will discuss their plans for the coming year along with a voluminous amount of gossip.
Alternatively, you can enter the lot without a code on the Crissy field side on Mason street (Marina blvd in SF turns into Mason street when in the presidio). You can get to the other entrance of the lot by going back up Long avenue, make a left on Lincoln and a left on McDowell down towards Crissy field. Make a left on Crissy Field Ave., and a left on Mason.
There is also a gravel lot (East Battery) up the hill overlooking the Fort.
Policy on Donations According to Maureen Rogers, head ranger at Fort Point, it is against Fort Point policy for organizations to solicit for donations on park grounds. Selling items for personal profit on park land is also not allowed without the use of a special permit. The use of informational brochures or mentioning that the visiting public can find more information about your organization on a website is allowed. But open display boards asking to donate at your website are not allowed. Even if someone decides to give you money without being asked, you can not take it while at the Fort. The Fort itself has a small box for donations in the sally port.
Schedule of Activities note: schedule is subject to change
9:00am - Fort opens for reenactors to unload gear and set up 9:50am - Assembly for Flag Raising 10:00am - Flag Raising Ceremony, Orders of the Day, Infantry Drill, Guard Post 10:10am - Introductory Video for new reenactors 10:30am - Artillery Drill 11:00am - Morning Parade, Inspection Arms and Infantry Drill 11:30am - Artillery Drill 12:00pm - Infantry Drill 12:20pm - Re-enactor Lunch 12:30pm - Musician Demonstration 1:00pm - Infantry Drill 1:30pm - Artillery Drill 1:30pm - Infantry NCO call 2:00pm - Civilian Tea (2nd floor) 2:00pm - Infantry Drill 2:30pm - Artillery Drill 3:00pm - Infantry Drill 3:30pm - Artillery Drill 4:00pm - Musician Demonstration 4:30pm - Infantry Drill 4:50pm - Assembly for Flag Lowering Ceremony
Maps and Directions to Fort Point
Fort Point is located next to the southern anchorage of the Golden Gate Bridge. Click on the thumbnail or HERE for a map (173kb in size) of the SF Presidio courtesy of the Park Rangers. A better PDF version of the map (2.7 MB in size) that allows you to zoom in for greater detail can be found at this link (http://www.nps.gov/goga/maps/pdf/map-prsf.pdf).
Here are directions heading to the Fort from various areas:
FROM THE NORTH: Proceed over the Golden Gate Bridge, staying in the farthest right lane. After passing through the toll gate, take the first available exit to the right, continuing in a circle to the right, through an underpass, through the visitor parking lot, to a stop sign (Lincoln Blvd.), then turn left onto Lincoln Blvd. Follow road for about 1/8 mile and turn left onto Long Avenue/Marine Drive and go down the hill to the fort. At the base of the hill to your right is the additional parking lot for reenactors next to the Warming Hut (white buildings), just northwest of Crissy Field.
FROM THE SOUTH: As you approach the Golden Gate Bridge, stay in the farthest right lane and take the "Last San Francisco Exit". Proceed through the parking lot to your right until you reach the stop sign (Lincoln Blvd.). Turn left and proceed to Long Avenue/Marine Drive and go down the hill to the fort. At the base of the hill to your right is the additional parking lot for reenactors next to the Warming Hut (white buildings), just northwest of Crissy Field.
FROM THE EAST: It is best to get a map because you will have to drive in downtown SF. This is probably the easiest way: take the first San Francisco exit after crossing the Bay bridge and get on the Embarcadero heading northwest. Since the Harrison St. off ramp has been closed since Fall 2005, you will need to stay in your 2 right lanes on the Bay Bridge and exit on Fremont Street. At the end of the long offramp, make a left on Fremont, and your first right on Howard. Then make a left on the Embarcadero. Follow the Embarcadero until you reach Bay street and make a left onto Bay (at pier 33). Follow Bay for 10 blocks and make a left on Van Ness. In 3 blocks you will make a right on Lombard. Drive west on Lombard Street and instead of taking Richardson Avenue to the Golden Gate bridge, make a left to continue on Lombard through the east gate of the Presidio. At the first intersection in the Presidio, make a right on Presidio drive, which becomes Lincoln Blvd. At the main post there is a fork in the road, make a right and follow signs to Fort Point. At the cemetery, you will make a slight right turn on Sheridan, which will again merge with Lincoln. Lincoln will take you on a windy path through the Presidio. Make a right on Long Avenue, go down the hill to Fort Point. At the base of the hill to your right is the additional parking lot for reenactors next to the Warming Hut (white buildings), just northwest of Crissy Field.
FROM THE WEST: Get a boat...
Hotels near Fort Point
Economy Inn 1 Richardson Avenue at Lombard San Francisco, CA 94123 (415)
922-0810 Travelodge Presidio 2755 Lombard Street San Francisco, CA 94123 (415) 931-8581 reservations (800) 578-7878
2707 Lombard Street San Francisco, CA 94123 (415) 567-2425
La Scala Inn 2555 Lombard Street San Francisco, CA 94123 (415) 921-3105
Econo Lodge 2505 Lombard Street (at Divisadero) San Francisco, CA 94123 (415) 921-2505
Marina Motel 2576 Lombard Street (at Divisadero) San Francisco, CA 94123 (415) 921-9406
Pacific Motor Inn 2599 Lombard Street San Francisco, CA 94123 (415) 346-4664 (800) 536-8446
Travelodge on the corner of Columbus and Bay 1201 Columbus Avenue San Francisco, CA 94133 (415) 776-7070
Local SF History (under construction) - barbary coast pirates - emperor norton - sydney albert johnston
Emperor Norton source: SF Chronicle Magazine, Jan 5, 2003, page 8, article by Tim Goodman
Joshua A. Norton was a successful business man before a failed rice market deal in 1854, personifies local lunacy. Five years after going bust, he went, well, off. He proclaimed himself Norton I, emperor of the United States and protector of Mexico. And he was serious.
It was a slow news day. The good people of San Francisco ate it up.
A legend grew around him, fueled by newspaper coverage. Archives suggest that businesses accepted his handmade money. Copys saluted him. He made decrees all the time, such as this one July 16, 1860: "Dissolved the United States of America".
Emperor Norton died January 8, 1880. Some 10,000 people turned out for his funeral.
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