Fort Mason Historic District
Also known as: Black Point; Bateria San Jose; Punta Medanos
Why it's listed
At the northeast corner of Fort Mason in San Francisco, a group of four houses from the 1850s sits on a lawn above San Francisco Bay and Aquatic Park. Built as private residences, they became Army quarters in 1863 during the Civil War. One, now McDowell Hall, was built in 1855 for Joseph Brooks and served as the official residence of the Commanding General of the Western Army from 1866 to 1943. Another is believed to be the house where Senator David Broderick died after his 1859 duel. The district also includes the sites of the Fremont House, razed for gun emplacements, and Bateria San Jose, a Spanish battery fortified in 1797 on the point then called Punta Medanos and later Black Point. General Irvin McDowell laid out the terraced gardens and walks that remain. The area is listed for its military history, early buildings, notable residents and bayside setting.
Significance in brief: The area figures in Western American military history and was earlier a Spanish fortified post. Its buildings date from the 1850s, are among the oldest in San Francisco, and housed people important to city and national history. The hilltop setting with terraced gardens has long served as open space with access to San Francisco Bay.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72000109, listed April 25, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Portion of Fort Mason N and E of Franklin St. and McArthur Ave., San Francisco |
|---|---|
| County | San Francisco |
| Listed | April 25, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000109 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1797, 1850-59 |
| Architectural style | Modified Victorian; Gothic Revival details |
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and altered; occupied, with gardens not well maintained in recent years. The buildings were in use as military quarters and an officers' club. |
| Acreage | 8.2 |
| Within district | Fort Mason Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 37.80687, -122.42665 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72000109.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.