Fort Point Lighthouse
San Francisco, CA

History:
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began work on Fort Point in 1853. Plans specified that the lowest tier of artillery be as close as possible to the water level so cannonballs could ricochet across the water's surface to hit enemy ships at the waterline. Workers blasted the 90-foot cliff down to 15 feet above sea level.

The structure featured 7-foot thick walls and multi-tiered casemated construction typical of Third System forts. It was suited to defend the maximum amount of harbor area. While there were more than 30 such forts on the East Coast, Fort Point was the only one built on the West Coast.

The current lighthouse is the third lighthouse built at this site- a natural promontory from which to guide mariners through wasters that can be treacherous in fog. The first was demolished shortly after construction in 1852 to make way for Fort Point. The second, north of the fort at the tip of the point suffered from constant erosion. The present lighthouse was used from 1864 until 1934, when the foundation for the Golden Gate Bridge blocked its light.

Source: Pashnit.com

Latitude/Longitude: 37.810547,-122.476984

Nearest Address: Marine Dr, Fort Point National Historic Site, San Francisco, CA

• From Route 101 in San Francisco, drive north towards the Golden Gate Bridge.
• Take the last exit before the bridge.
• At the end of the ramp take two rights until you're at a T intersection (see map)
• Take a left onto Lincoln Blvd.
• Follow Lincoln Blvd. a short distance and take your second left onto Long Ave.
• Stay on Long Ave, which becomes Marine Dr., to the end at the fort.

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