Fortified structures in San Francisco, California

Great Meadow Park at Fort Mason is a historic park and tourist attraction located on Bay Street in San Francisco, California. Situated on a hilltop promontory, Fort Mason has a rich history of being fortified by the Spanish, Mexican, and United States military over the past 200 years. The park offers stunning views of the cove and the passage between the mainland and Alcatraz. During the Gold Rush era, Fort Mason played a crucial role in protecting the valuable cargo of American ships laden with gold passing through the Golden Gate straits. The park was established as a United States military reservation in 1851, known as Point San Jose. It later became known as Fort Mason in honor of Colonel Richard Barnes Mason.