Historic Forts in California

39 forts across 8 eras · 7 still active military bases today.

Quick Statistics

39

Total forts

8

Eras represented

7

Active bases today

24

Open to visitors

19

Coastal defense

Forts by Era

Civil WarMost common11 · 28%

Indian Wars & Frontier11 · 28%

World War II5 · 13%

Spanish Colonial4 · 10%

Other / Unspecified3 · 8%

Spanish-American War & Coastal Defense3 · 8%

Cold War & Modern1 · 3%

Colonial Era1 · 3%

Map of Forts in California

38 of 39 forts have mapped coordinates. Click a marker for details.

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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

All Forts in California

Civil WarBenicia ArsenalBenicia · est. 1851 American Civil WarCamp AlertSan Francisco · est. 1862 American Civil WarCamp GrantHumboldt County · est. 1863 Civil WarCamp LincolnCrescent City · est. 1862 American Civil WarCamp LowSan Juan Bautista, San Benito County · est. 1864 World War II🪖 Active BaseCamp RobertsMonterey and San Luis Obispo counties · est. 1941 World War II🪖 Active BaseCamp San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo County · est. 1928 Civil WarDrum BarracksWilmington · est. 1863 Civil WarFort AlcatrazSan Francisco Bay · est. 1859 Civil WarFort AndersonHumboldt County · est. 1862 Bald Hills WarFort BakerHumboldt County · est. 1862 Other / UnspecifiedFort BarryMarin Headlands, Marin County · est. 1908 Pre-Civil War / Indian WarsFort Bragg, CaliforniaMendocino County · est. 1857 World War IIFort CronkhiteSausalito · est. 1930 World War II🪖 Active BaseFort EmoryCoronado / Imperial Beach · est. 1942 World War I, World War II, Cold WarFort FunstonSan Francisco · est. 1900 Indian WarsFort GastonHoopa Valley · est. 1859 Indian WarsFort HumboldtEureka · est. 1853 Other / Unspecified🪖 Active BaseFort Hunter LiggettJolon, Monterey County · est. 1940 American Civil WarFort IaquaHumboldt County · est. 1863 Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War, War on Terror🪖 Active BaseFort IrwinSan Bernardino County · est. 1940 Indian WarsFort JonesScott Valley, Siskiyou County · est. 1852 World War I, World War II, Cold WarFort MacArthurSan Pedro, Los Angeles · est. 1914 Civil War, World War I, World War IIFort McDowellAngel Island, Marin County · est. 1863 Spanish-American War, World War IIFort Miley Military ReservationSan Francisco · est. 1899 Indian WarsFort MillerMadera County · est. 1852 World War II, Cold WarFort OrdMonterey Bay · est. 1940 Civil WarFort PointSan Francisco · est. 1861 Mexican-American War era🪖 Active BaseFort RosecransPoint Loma, San Diego · est. 1852 Russian colonization of North AmericaFort RossSonoma County · est. 1812 Bald Hills WarFort SewardHumboldt County · est. 1861 Indian WarsFort TejonKern County · est. 1854 Indian WarsFort Ter-WawKlamath Glen · est. 1857 Indian WarsFort WrightRound Valley, Mendocino County · est. 1862 Other / UnspecifiedNew San Diego DepotSan Diego · est. 1850 Spanish Colonial Era🪖 Active BasePresidio of MontereyMonterey · est. 1770 Spanish Colonial EraPresidio of San DiegoSan Diego · est. 1769 Spanish Colonial, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War, World War IIPresidio of San FranciscoSan Francisco · est. 1776 Spanish Colonial PeriodPresidio of Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara · est. 1782

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