Fort Baker

Fort Baker is one of the most famous components of California's Golden Gate National Recreation Area.Fact|date=July 2007 The Fort, which borders the City of Sausalito in Marin County and is connected to San Francisco by the Golden Gate Bridge, served as an Army post until the mid-1990s, when the headquarters of the 91st Division moved to Parks Reserve Forces Training Area. It is located opposite Fort Point at the entrance to the San Francisco Bay.

Fort Baker was classified as an historic district on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. [ [http://image1.nps.gov:9001/StyleServer/calcrgn?cat=NRHP&item=/Text/NRHP-9c108e55963e46649005fee8a192449e.djvu&style=nps/FOCUS-DJview.xsl&wid=640&hei=480&oif=jpeg&props=item(SUMMARY,COPYRIGHT) National Park Service site] Image of the application form] It features essentially-intact historic structures and landscapes, and is currently under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service (NPS). It is renowned for its spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay.Fact|date=July 2007

Its reuse is in full swing, and the rapidly declining condition of the buildings has been stopped with the retrofit, rennovation and reopening of all the original buildings as Cavallo Point Lodge [http://www.cavallopoint.com] . The property is undergoing LEED accreditation for its eco practices in reuse and green build, hopefully securing a Gold rating. It exists as a think tank conference center, with an Institute at the Golden Gate [http://www.parksconservancy.org/our_work/igg/] , working towards partnerships with environmentally minded and altruistic groups, rededicating Fort Baker as an eco-venue for the GGNRA, Conservancy, and Bay Area at large. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/01/10/BAGPQNG2MG1.DTL]

Military history

The military history of the area that is now Fort Baker began in 1850 when President Millard Fillmore created The Lime Point Military Reservation, for coastal defense positions and logistic support facilities, on the north side of the Golden Gate, across from Fort Point. However, due to lengthy litigation the land was not acquired by the Federal Government until 1866. Between 1872 and 1876, four barbette batteries were built: at Point Cavallo (Battery Cavallo), on the ridge above Lime Point (Cliff and Ridge Batteries), and on Gravelly Beach to the west (Gravelly Beach Battery). The only buildings on the reservation were barracks-like quarters for construction crews, storehouses, and offices, to the west of Horseshoe Bay.

In 1890 plans were drawn up for modern "Endicott Type" coastal artillery batteries to be built from Point Cavallo to Point Bonita. Four batteries were completed by 1901: Batteries Spencer, Kirby, Duncan, and Orlando Wagner.

In 1897 a tent camp was established where the present Main Post is today, and the reservation was renamed "Fort Baker". Construction of permanent structures began in 1901.

By December 1942, during World War II, there were 159 structures at Fort Baker, many of them temporary. For example, a temporary frame hospital, built near the beach at the foot of the parade ground, was completed in October 1941 and demolished in 1981. Gordon Chappell, [http://www.militarymuseum.org/FtBaker.html "Historic California Posts: Fort Baker (Lime Point Military Reservation, Fort at Lime Point)"] , The California State Military Museum, California State Military Department, retrieved March 3, 2008]

In 2000, the final uniformed elements of the US Army left the Presidio of San Francisco and Fort Baker, a subpost of the Presidio. The 91st Division (Training Support), an Army Reserve unit, moved its headquarters from Fort Baker to Parks Reserve Forces Training Area, in Dublin, California.

Current activities

Many of the Army-built buildings still stand, and current institutions in the area include an active United States Coast Guard station, [Emmett Berg, [http://www.fogcityjournal.com/news_in_brief/eb_station_golden_gate_071119.shtml "Coast Guard missions at Station Golden Gate are anything but routine"] , "Fog City Journal", November 19, 2007] the Travis Marina (an Air Force rest and recreation facility), and the Bay Area Discovery Museum. [Tacy Dunham, [http://www.marinij.com/lifestyles/ci_7402048 "Hike of the week: Can't beat the views at East Fort Baker"] , "Marin Independent Journal", November 8, 2007]

Cavallo Point conference center

In January 2005, an agreement was reached by the city of Sausalito and the National Park Service with developers for a retreat and conference center. [ [http://www.ci.sausalito.ca.us/cm-weeklyreport/citymanager-weeklyreport_01-20-05.htm Fort Baker Agreement Announced] City of Sausalito: City Manager's Weekly Report, January 20, 2005.] Construction began in October 2006.Mark Prado, [http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_8424624 "New luxury hotel at Fort Baker to open this summer"] , "Marin Independent Journal", March 1, 2008 ] Thirteen historic lodging buildings and seven historic commons buildings are being renovated; thirteen new lodging buildings are being built, as well. It is due to open in May 2008. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/05/FDHFTJHJO.DTL "Inside Scoop: Myth restaurant sold; O'Brien out as chef"] , "San Francisco Chronicle", December 5, 2007] It will have convert|15000|sqft|m2 of indoor space and convert|10000|sqft|m2 of outdoor event space, for events of 10 to 250 guests, a restaurant seating 100 people ("Murray Circle"), and an convert|11000|sqft|m2|sing=on full-service spa. [ [http://www.hotelmotel.com/hotelmotel/News+Wire/Cavallo-Point-names-sales-manager/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/477532?contextCategoryId=1238 "Cavallo Point names sales manager"] , "Hotel and Motel Management", December 5, 2007] The 142-room resort will be run by Passport Resorts, which also runs the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur.

Fort Baker in Pop Culture

The site is also notable for being the site of some of the buildings of Starfleet Headquarters in the Star Trek universe.

ee also

*Mission blue butterfly habitat conservation

Publications and Maps

* [http://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/upload/2008-0910-sb-foba-web.pdf Fort Baker Official Brochure]
* [http://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/upload/sg-foba-army-web.pdf Fort Baker Parade Ground Walk: Innovations in Army Life self-guided tour]
* [http://www.nps.gov/goga/upload/2008-0910-mahe-map-web.pdf Marin Headlands/Fort Baker Map]

References

Further reading

* [http://www.rockmoab.com/action/ftbakerdocs/casestudy.html Ft. Baker - Greening Case Study]
* [http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-IMPACT/2000/June/Day-22/i15730.htm Final Environmental Impact Statement and Fort Baker Plan] , EPA's Federal Register Environmental Documents, June 22, 2000.

External links

* [http://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/fort-baker.htm National Park Service website for Fort Baker]
* [http://www.cavallopoint.com Website for Cavallo Point, "The Lodge at the Golden Gate"]
* [http://www.baykidsmuseum.org/ Bay Area Discovery Museum]