Fort Funston

Gazing out at the vast expanse of the Pacific, can you sense the ghosts of artillerymen past? Here at Fort Funston, the wind whispers tales of a bygone era. Fort Funston, now a haven for dog walkers and hang gliders, once bristled with military might. Originally called Lake Merced Military Reservation, this land was claimed by the federal government in 1900. Intended for coastal defense, Fort Funston’s destiny shifted with the tides of war. Named after Major General Frederick Funston shortly after his death in 1917, the fort saw its first real development during World War I. Barracks sprung up, a parade ground was laid, and batteries were strategically positioned. Battery Howe, armed with four 12-inch mortars, and Battery Bruff, boasting two 5-inch guns, stood ready to defend San Francisco’s shores. These very guns were relocated from Fort Winfield Scott, marking a shift in defensive strategy. The roar of these guns, however, faded with the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty in 1923. This treaty triggered a wave of cancellations, leaving powerful naval guns without a home. Some of these orphaned giants found a new purpose at Fort Funston. Battery Davis, a marvel of engineering, was constructed between 1936 and 1939. It housed two massive 16-inch Mark 2 Navy guns, each weighing a staggering 143 tons. These behemoths were transported by rail from Mare Island Naval Shipyard, their arrival signaling a renewed commitment to coastal defense. Fort Funston’s Battery Davis was a prototype, designed to protect against air attacks, a feature later adopted by other 16-inch batteries. The winds of war shifted again, and World War II brought further changes to Fort Funston. New batteries, armed with 155 mm guns and 40 mm Bofors guns, joined the ranks. From 1941 to 1944, soldiers from the 18th Coast Artillery Regiment called Fort Funston home, their watchful eyes scanning the horizon. The echoes of war eventually faded, and Fort Funston’s guns fell silent. The rapid advancements in military technology rendered the once mighty batteries obsolete. During the Cold War, a new type of defense emerged at Fort Funston. Nike missile launch sites, SF-59L (now the parking lot) and SF-61, replaced the old guns, standing as silent sentinels against a new threat. Finally, in 1963, Fort Funston was decommissioned and handed over to the National Park Service. Now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Fort Funston’s trails echo not with the rumble of artillery, but with the joyful barks of dogs and the whoosh of hang gliders. As you stand here, feel the wind whip through your hair, the same wind that once carried the scent of gunpowder. Imagine the soldiers who stood watch, the rumble of the guns, the ever-present threat of war. Fort Funston is more than a beautiful landscape. It’s a living testament to a complex history, a place where the echoes of the past intertwine with the vibrant energy of the present.