Not Aircraft, but abandon military nike sites in SF Bay area

[Malo83]

Any Pics of the Batterys that were on Pt.Loma in San Diego, was down there a couple of yrs ago and looked at one of the Lookout stations dug into the side of the hill, the NAVY is still using a couple of the Batterys, but no 16" guns.

[bugazon]

Thanks for all the additional photos and info. Would you have the info and in use photos of the lookout station on devils slide in Montara? I always wondered it looked like. Thanks, Keith

[armyjunk2]

I'll have to look around for a period inside photograph, here are some good documents about the Harbor Defenses of San Francisco and San Diego, probably more than you want to know, I will be in San Fran in January hiking around.....

link to san francisco study
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/goga/fortifications_hrs.pdf
link to san diego study
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/cabr/hrst.htm

Little Devils Slide


Devils Slide

Last edited by armyjunk2 on Tue Aug 21, 2007 5:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[armyjunk2]

Malo, none of the Batteries retained the 16inch guns, Aberdeen does have one on display.............

[Roger Cain]

Thanks for the updates Keith and ArmyJunk2.

Keith, have you ever been to the old tunnels near the south end of San Bruno Mountain? I've always wondered what they were for and when they were dug?

[armyjunk2]

I got this note from a friend, anymore info?? that will help him...

"you were wondering about some sort of old
tunnels in San Bruno Mountain & asked me
if I knew anything about them.

Well there are definitely the Caltrain & BART tunnels, the Caltrain
ones I assume being the same location as the old SP railroad tracks dating back to the late
1800s/early 1900s, & being visible off of Tunnel Road, just W of 101.

I'm not aware of any other tunnels, so if they exist, I assume they
were railroad-related, but if you can come up with a
more exact location, I'll go investigate, as I live about 10 miles S of
Mt San Bruno."

[Roger Cain]

One of the tunnels is probably big enough to take a train in it. It is under Old Bayshore Boulevard, from 101 to Brisbane/Cow Palace exit and is next to the 101 overpass where the train goes under it, rounding from Brisbane to SSF. Last time (30 yrs ago) I peaked through a hole in the gates, there were a bunch of Road signs in storage, I presume either the City of Brisbane or County uses it for storage. You can still see some air shaft vents on San Bruno Mountain from it. The only way to get to it is to drive in the entrance of the first business on the right as you come into Brisbane, and then head back towards (south) 101. You will have to walk, and I am not sure about Tresspassing issues. I got nailed once in the late 70's with my truck under the overpass, by the UP police.
On Google Earth, the first big tunnel is at: 37 40'33.75"N 122 23'27.33"W

Also above this area, theres a billboard where we used to be able to park, and a slight hike up the hill from it leads to a walkable tunnel that goes through the mountain a short distance, maybe 50 - 100 feet? I haven't been up there in years, but there used to be concrete blocks all the way through, which I figured supported a large water line, or something: 37 40'26.48"N 122 23'28.60"W (this one is a rough guess)

And yes I live about two miles from here, have never found anyone that knows any history on these.

[bugazon]

I haven't heard of those but I'm sure I can find out. They sound very interesting. I'll look into it.......

[armyjunk2]

Here are some links to the books on Coast Defense

here is one on missile defense and its cheap.......Rings of Supersonic Steel: Air Defenses of the United States Army 1950-1974 - An Introductory History and Site Guide

http://www.amazon.com/Rings-Supersonic- ... 0615120121

and Ray Lewis's Seacoast fortifications of the United States : an introductory history, this is a good inexpensive general book

http://www.amazon.com/Seacoast-Fortific ... 219&sr=1-1


and last is American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide available here, not cheap but more info than you will find anywhere else in one book....

http://www.cdsg.org/amerdef.htm
[url][/url]

[Roger Cain]

I haven't heard of those but I'm sure I can find out. They sound very interesting. I'll look into it.......

Keith,

If you want to go visit this sometime in the ;ate afternoon, let me know, it's probably a fifteen minute hike up the side of the hill, if it hasn't been covered over. The big one below is easy to get to also.

ArmyJunk,

Thanks for the listings of the books available on this, I think I need to invest in one or two..........

[armyjunk2]

I have my man on the scene tim tyler going to take a look at the tunnels. Have any of you gotten to them yet? I'll be there in January and I would like to see them.

We have a new Forum on Coastal Defenses, it just started so it slow but it does have some San Francisco things in it already.

http://www.cdsg.org/forums/index.php

[Roger Cain]

I'll make a run now, and give you a report and post pictures shortly........

[armyjunk2]

good man

[Roger Cain]

Okay, here's part of it and my theories, first visit in 30 years.

The tunnel which is next to the train line, was possibly a train tunnel, due to the swamp and marsh lands that were next to the Mountain 100 years ago. The tunnel has a date brick of 1905 on it, and I'm guessing it may have caved in on the other end when it was no longer used. Just a guess, but there are no signs of an exit on the opposite sides. I had to get permission to get near this tunnel entrance that is now fenced all the way around, along with a storage yard. A lady at the company that gave me permission to take pictures from within their truck yard said that someones working on an article about the tunnel.



These are air vents most likely for the (train?) tunnel, on the side of the mountain. There is also a waterline (lower right - round steel cover) that is running under ground and, marked as such. The guage in the cover, if working read 40 psi. After hiking around for close to an hour, I could not find the upper tunnel, there haven't been any fires on this end of the mountain in sometime, and it is overgrown quite a bit. Gave up, after slipping and falling only once.



Abandon peices of old steel pipe (gatorade jug for size comparison)


Unknown, possibly ladders onto some type of structure once?


Big fire south of us has created heavy haze and orange skies, so these pictures aren't as clear as I'd have liked, let alone a setting sun.

[armyjunk2]

nice, maybe I'll take a ride down there in January