Fort Funston, California — History & Visitor Guide

Fort Funston (San Francisco, California)

San Francisco · California · World War I, World War II, Cold War

Quick BriefFort Funston began as the Lake Merced Military Reservation, acquired by the federal government in 1900 to serve as a coastal defense post. Significant construction did not commence until 1917, when the post was renamed in honor of Major General Frederick Funston and troops began building parade grounds, barracks, and artillery batteries during World War I. Battery Davis, constructed 1936–1939, housed two 16-inch Navy guns that had been transported from Mare Island Naval Shipyard. The fort later housed Nike missile sites from 1956 to 1963 and was transferred to the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Coastal defenseOpen to visitors

History & Significance

Army engineers planning San Francisco Bay defenses in the 1890s identified a tract of land between Lake Merced and the Pacific Ocean for two mortar batteries, and the federal government acquired approximately 45 acres in December 1900 at $900 per acre. For seventeen years the reservation lay undeveloped.

Construction began in 1917, when the fort was renamed for Major General Frederick Funston and troops built Battery Howe with four 12-inch mortars and Battery Bruff with two 5-inch M1900 guns. Between 1936 and 1939, Battery Davis was constructed, featuring two 16-inch Mark 2 Navy guns—143-ton weapons moved by railroad from Mare Island Naval Shipyard—establishing the prototype for U.S. 16-inch batteries designed to resist air attack, widely adopted during World War II.

From December 1941 through April 1944, the Coast Artillery garrison included elements of the 18th Coast Artillery Regiment. The coastal artillery batteries were declared obsolete shortly after World War II; a 90 mm anti-aircraft gun battery occupied the site 1953–1957 during the Cold War, followed by Nike missile launch sites SF-59L and SF-61 from 1956 to 1963. The fort was inactivated in 1963 and transferred to the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Key Facts

StateCalifornia

LocationSan Francisco

Established1900

Decommissioned1963

War / eraWorld War I, World War II, Cold War

Current statusState or National Park

Coordinates37.714958, -122.501915

Map

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🧳 Visiting

What you’ll see when you visit:

Coastal artillery bunkers and gun batteries from WWI–Cold War era
Historic 16-inch naval gun emplacements overlooking the Pacific
Oceanfront bluffs with sweeping views of the coast
Popular hiking trails and hang-gliding site on the former military grounds

Best time to visitLate spring through early fall (May–September) offers the most predictable weather, though San Francisco's coastal climate remains cool year-round with frequent fog.

Getting thereSan Francisco International Airport (SFO) is 15 kilometers away; the fort is accessible from San Francisco's western neighborhoods.

From the nearest major airportSan Francisco International Airport (SFO)🚗 14 mi by road⏱️ ≈ 23 min drive

Fort Funston (San Francisco, California)

History & Significance

Key Facts

Map

🧳 Visiting

Sources

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