Marin's hidden gem - History abounds at Fort Barry

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Tucked away in the Marin Headlands, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, sits a true California relic. With astonishing views of the famous bridge to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, Fort Barry offers an intellectually stimulating trip into California’s past.

Fort Barry’s history stretches back to July 1901, when construction on the classic stronghold began. The first battery to be built — Battery Mendell — was named in honor of the engineer who supervised the construction of several Bay Area batteries. In the ensuing years, more batteries were constructed along the coast, but a lack of housing forced the creation of temporary camps. Thus, in 1904, the War Department commissioned the construction of a permanent garrison. The fort became known as Fort Barry, a tribute to Brigadier General William F. Barry, a Union colonel of the Second Artillery who served during the Civil War.

At its peak, Fort Barry was a bustling community of enlisted men. In 1907, 21 more buildings were added to the site, including a post office, 12-bed hospital, mess hall, guardhouse, headquarter building, and firehouse, as well as warehouses and stables. Later, a rifle-range, gymnasium and multiple batteries lining the cliffs at the entrance to the Golden Gate would complete the hidden fort.

Fort Barry remained active through the two World Wars, but it never saw any action, as enemy forces never threatened the West Coast. Nonetheless, the fort still remained a strategic defense post for Northern California during the first half of the 20th century. Fort Barry was closed in the late 1970s, as technological advances in warfare made the fort’s various battery posts obsolete.

Today, Fort Barry has been converted into office space for the National Park Service, which works in conjunction with the Marin Center for the Arts and The Headlands’ Institute. Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Fort Barry is open to the public and, in what used to be the fort chapel, visitors can explore a small museum chronicling the fort’s past.

Fort Barry’s main attractions are the surrounding near-pristine hills and beaches. Although it is just a few miles north of San Francisco, Fort Barry is in the wilderness. An intricate road system takes guests to the various batteries on the cliffs. Numerous walking paths through the hills and beaches provide an excellent opportunity for exploring the landscape.

Thus, with a wonderful history and setting, Fort Barry is the perfect destination for an afternoon adventure in the Bay Area.

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