Fort Baker (1)
Fort Baker (1) (1867-1998) - Originally established as Lime Point Military Reservation in 1867. Renamed 29 Apr 1897 for Col. Edward D. Baker an ex Senator from California who was killed 21 Oct 1861 at the battle of Ball's Bluff, Virginia, during the U.S. Civil War.
Fort Baker (1) History
Post U.S. Civil War
Established in 1897 to guard the entrance to San Francisco Bay. Original Gun Batteries were Point Bonita, Point Diablo, Gravelly Reach, Lime Point Ridge, Cavallo, and Point Cavallo.
Endicott Period
In 1890 plans were developed by a Board of Engineers for a series of eight Modern Endicott Period batteries on the north shore of the Golden Gate Strait, guarding the entrance to San Francisco Harbor. The Lime Point Military Reservation was renamed Fort Baker in 1897 and construction on the new batteries and the Fort infrastructure begun. Construction of permanent buildings began in 1901 with essential structures and by 1942 there were 159 buildings. Construction of the original planned eight gun batteries was complete by 1905. In 1904 the post was split into two forts, Fort Baker and Fort Barry. The dividing line between them was a North-South line originating at Point Diablo. The six batteries that remained on Fort Baker are listed below.
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Ridge | 4 | 15" | Rodman | 1890-1909 | $ ? | Smoothbore |
| Battery Spencer | 3 | 12" | Barbette | 1893-1897-1897-1943 | $ 110,353 | 1 Gun removed 1919 |
| Battery Kirby | 2 | 12" | Disappearing Carriage | 1899-1900-1900-1941 | $ 70,334 | 1 Gun removed 1933 |
| Battery Cavallo | 3 | 8" | Rodman | 1872-1876-1900-1910 | $ 170,504 | Converted Rodman cannons |
| Battery Duncan | 2 | 8" | Barbette | 1898-1899-1900-1917 | $ 57,535 | |
| Battery Wagner (2) | 2 | 5" | Balanced Pedestal | 1899-1901-1901-1917 | $ 25,000 | |
| Battery Yates | 6 | 3" | Pedestal | 1903-1903-1905-1943 | $ 41,407 | |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
World War II
During World War II two batteries were build at Gravelly Beach to provide an anti-aircraft and anti-motor torpedo boat (AMTB) capability for the post and the remaining operational batteries. After the war, Fort Baker became a sub-post of Fort Winfield Scott and later of the Presidio in 1950.
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Kirby Beach | 2 | 3" | Pedestal | 1942-1942-1943-1943 | $ 956 | Guns from Battery Yates |
| Battery AMTB - Gravelly Beach | 2 | 90mm | Pedestal | 1943-1943-1943-1946 | $ 4,908 | Partially buried |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
Current Status
Fort Baker is within the boundary of Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Location: North side of the Golden Gate Bridge on Lime Point, California. Maps & Images Lat: 37.836513 Long: -122.479019 |
Sources:
- Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 22
- Frazer, Robert W., Forts of the West, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman OK, 1965, ISBN 0-8061-1250-6, page 20
- Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 61
Links:
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