Forts Baker, Barry, and Cronkhite

Spread across 2,279 acres of hills and tidelands on the north side of the Golden Gate near Sausalito, Forts Baker, Barry and Cronkhite form a district of coastal defense works. The batteries were built to stop hostile ships from passing through the Golden Gate into San Francisco Bay, supporting the fortifications at the Presidio of San Francisco. Construction began in earnest in the Endicott period (1890-1910), when batteries were laid out so that each backed up the next, from the Pacific side to the bay. Later work responded to changing threats between the world wars, to anti-aircraft and motor torpedo boat defense in World War II, and to NIKE missile sites built in 1955. Armament ranged from 3-inch guns to 16-inch guns. Only two batteries have been destroyed, and fifteen remain in good condition, now disarmed. The concrete and steel structures illustrate the age of coastal artillery and the growth of national defense.