Publisher's Synopsis
It was called the "Pride of the Pacific" and the "Gibraltar of the West"; yet it lies in the shadows of its gigantic neighbor - the "fort at Fort Point," - appearing tiny, insignificant in comparison; that is, if one can see it at all. For the large part of almost any day, sometimes for days at a time, it is all but invisible. And when one can see it, the Golden Gate Bridge draws all eyes to itself and away from the old red brick building beneath it. Not until one stands next to it, stands on its inner parade ground, walks its cavernous corridors, or climbs the iron stairs to its roof, does one gain an appreciation for the size and magnificence this historic place. Under construction from 1853 through 1861, Fort Point was the linchpin of a grand plan for the protection of San Francisco Bay - the only fort of its design west of the Mississippi. The fort never fired a shot in anger; yet, this "fine example of the mason's art," "one of the most perfect models of masonry in America," patiently and proudly stood guard at the edge of San Francisco and endured controversy, a Confederate plot, obsolescence, earthquakes, and two more wars to become part of the city landscape - part of the very fabric of the tapestry that is San Francisco. Former San Francisco police officer, noted photographer and writer Brian O'Neil tells the story of Fort Point not as some academic, historical thesis but as a story of the fort that for years didn't even have an official name and of the people who built it and lived there, laced with respect and affection for this city landmark.
