Fort Point

Reenactor Information

updated March 28, 2014

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This page contains logistical information for reenactors attending the Fort Point event.  Information for the public about the event and additional Fort Point historical information can be found at the main Fort Point page.  

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 AT hotmail.com) or calling at (510) 551-5128.

EVERY REENACTOR IS WELCOME!  However, everyone who attends must be wearing appropriate Union or Civilian attire of the period.  Also, sutlers are not allowed to sell their goods per NPS rules.  The basics for an enlisted soldier:  forage cap, hardee or kepi; sack or frock coat; trousers and period footwear are needed at a minimum.  Bring your rifles, leathers and bayonets, but NO caps, NO powder.  Reenactors should NOT be wearing blue jeans or sunglasses, and modern anachronisms (such as non period jewelry and wristwatches) should be put away.  If you need to borrow pieces of a Union uniform, please let us know.  If you have any questions about alternative impressions, please let Mike Musante know.  

Reenactors should arrive on Saturday between 8:00am and 9:00am to help setup, drop off gear and park their cars in one of the far lots (see parking below).  There will be a formation at 9:45am to review the rules and orders of the day.  The fort will officially open to the public at 10:00am with the flag raising. We will have orders of the day immediately following the flag raising and infantry drill.  At about 10:15am, all new reenactors to the fort will break ranks to go over rules of the Fort, sign a volunteer agreement (see below), and watch a video presentation of the Fort's history that will last 20 minutes. 

All members that have never been to Fort Point before will need to sign a volunteer agreement.  If you have signed one before, you do not need to sign it again.  It essentially states that you are a volunteer in the park and are not getting paid to participate at this event.  It also allows you to collect some worker's comp if injured at the fort.  See Ranger Maureen Rogers to get the form or if you have questions.

Command and Activities
Throughout the day we will be alternating between artillery, musician and infantry demonstrations under the command of the Event Coordination Team and appointed Union Commander (or the ranking senior company commander present that was ELECTED).  The plan is to hold battalion formations and then break into company drill.  We will have each unit rotate through a series of drills for the audience rather than having all soldiers drill together as a battalion.  That way, the men will get to hone their skills with the other soldiers in their unit and the crowd will get to see a variety of drills at once.  If a unit is too small, we may have to merge it with another small unit for company drills.

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, sally port, and given to unit commanders.

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.

To avoid appearing "top heavy", we ask that each unit observe an appropriate rank ratio.  Only those elected by their units should wear rank insignias.  If a unit has a lot of elected members in attendance, we would respectfully ask that some volunteer to drop down to private in order to help maintain rank ratio.  If your specific living history demonstration requires a specific rank, please talk with the event coordinators for approval.  

Concurring Demonstrations
Medical, musician, civilian and various other demonstrations are concurrent and ongoing throughout the day.  The Sons of Union Veterans will have a display and many reenactors from various units in Northern California will be attending.  The California Consolidated Fife and Drum Band will be playing in the fort at 12:30pm and 4:00pm and will be playing outside the sally port all day.  A Brass Band will be playing on the second floor throughout the day.  If you have any other ideas for new demonstrations, please contact us!  We will need to approve demonstrations to reduce the potential for duplication and assign you a space.

Food Preparation
For Saturday-only events, everyone is expected to bring their own breakfast and lunch. Bring your own plates, cups and utensils!  We may have coffee and hot cocoa, please bring $1 to help recoup the costs.  Any profit will be donated to the Fort. 

Overnight Events

For overnight events, you will need to email the organizers with the following information:  

1) name 

2) unit and club

3) phone number (cell and home) 

4) email address 

5) if you are under 18, name and contact info for parent as well as temporary guardian.

A garrison mess will be organized for Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast.  Reenactors will need to provide their own lunches.  

Volunteers will sleep on the floors in the same rooms as the soldiers.  It will be cold, dirty and dusty.

Contact the organizers for additional details.

Civilian Tea

If enough civilians are able to attend, a civilian tea may be held on the second floor of the barracks.  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.

Weather
Mark Twain once said something to the effect of...the coldest winter I spent was a summer night in San Francisco.  It is possible that it will be cold all year round at the Fort, so plan your dress accordingly.  The Fort is open rain or shine but we leave it up to the individual whether they want to attend if there is inclement weather.

Parking
Please try to carpool!!!  The few spots in front of the Fort are for the public, not the reenactors!  

After you have dropped off gear and passengers at 9am, we are asking that all reenactors move their cars back to the long skinny parking lot next to the Warming Hut and Torpedo Wharf (white buildings) in the northwest corner of Crissy Field.  This lot is located immediately to your right when you come down off the hill onto Long avenue and onto the Fort.  On most days, to get into this lot from the Fort side (west side), a ranger will have to be present to enter the passcode.  We will do our best to have this gate removed on the day of the event.

Alternatively, you can enter the same parking lot from the Crissy field side (east side) on Mason street which does not have a gate (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.  NOTE: as of Jan 2010, the Doyle Drive construction project may cause delays or detours.

There is also a gravel lot (East Battery) up the hill overlooking the Fort on Lincoln Blvd..

Policy on Donations

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.  

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