“Guns salvaged in 1943.” Those words echo through the empty concrete of Battery Chester. We stand at a place that once bristled with military might. Battery Chester was a key part of San Francisco’s harbor defenses. Its story is one of changing technology and global conflict.
Battery Chester got its name from Major James Chester. He was a Civil War veteran. Construction began in 1899. It finished in 1903. The total cost was about $165,919.39.
Originally, Battery Chester had two 12-inch M1895 guns. These were mounted on M1897 Disappearing carriages. There was also one M1888MII gun. It was mounted on an M1892 Barbette carriage. Over time, the battery’s configuration changed.
Emplacements #1 and #2 are connected. Emplacement #3 stands alone. Each had shell and powder rooms. Hodges front delivery shell hoists lifted the heavy shells. These were later replaced by Taylor-Raymond back delivery shell hoists in 1916.
In 1914, a plotting room was added. It measured 20 by 14 feet. It sat between emplacements #1 and #2. A BC station was above the plotting room. Three observation stations were on each side of the emplacements.
Power came from a plant in emplacement #2. It housed three gasoline-powered generators. Radiators were in a separate building. Even a latrine had its own building.
When the U.S. entered World War I, things changed. The two M1895 guns in Battery Chester were removed in 1918. They were sent to the Watervliet Arsenal. They never went overseas. Instead, M1888MI tubes replaced them. These came from Battery Spencer and Battery Lancaster.
By 1943, the guns at Battery Chester were outdated. They were ordered salvaged on July 24, 1943.
Today, Battery Chester is part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area. The National Park Service manages it. No original guns or mounts remain. Yet, Battery Chester remains. It stands as a reminder of a time when San Francisco prepared for war.
Imagine the roar of the guns. Picture the bustle of soldiers. Sense the weight of history here at Battery Chester. Its guns may be gone but its story lives on.
Take a moment to appreciate the views from Battery Chester. The Golden Gate, the Pacific Ocean, and the city skyline. They were the very sights the soldiers of Battery Chester swore to protect. Battery Chester is a testament to their service. It is a part of San Francisco’s past that we can still experience today.