Hidden beneath the bustle of the Golden Gate Bridge approach lies Battery Slaughter. This forgotten fortress whispers tales of a bygone era. Battery Slaughter was completed in 1900, armed with three powerful 8-inch guns. These guns could hurl projectiles an astonishing seven miles. The battery was a vital part of San Francisco’s harbor defense, protecting the inner harbor and its crucial minefields. It’s named for Lieutenant William A. Slaughter. He was a West Point graduate who tragically lost his life in a skirmish with White River Native Americans in Washington Territory in 1855. Battery Slaughter’s story intertwines with the history of Fort Scott. Originally part of the fort, its boundaries were redrawn, placing the battery within the Presidio. The battery’s guns were removed in 1917. They were shipped to the Watervliet Arsenal in New York for use in World War I. Battery Slaughter was largely buried during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge approach in the 1930s. Now, only fragments of its parapet and observation station remain visible. It stands as a silent testament to a time when the roar of cannons echoed across the bay.
50 Fremont Center
Gazing up at 50 Fremont Center, one might wonder about the stories it holds. 50 Fremont Center stands tall at