Field Trip to the Presidio, Fort Point, and the Palace of Fine Arts (November 6, 1969) (Updated two months ago)

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Children and teachers from the Frederic Burk School gather inside the arched stone casemates of Fort Point, surrounding a large artillery cannon mounted on a wheeled field carriage. Wearing a hard hat, a guide addresses the group, explaining the cannon’s purpose and historical context as students listen closely. The vaulted masonry, massive wooden wheels, and iron fittings emphasize the scale of nineteenth-century coastal defenses, while the attentive group reflects the hands-on, experiential approach to learning that characterized school field trips of the era.

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Added to SFSU Over the Years on July 31, 2026.

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Information

  • Identifier: TP-ATA-0838
  • Date: 11-6-1969
  • Context: <p><strong>Type:</strong> Civil War&ndash;era field piece on a wooden carriage. Fort Point&rsquo;s casemates today display &ldquo;cannons from multiple eras,&rdquo; including Civil War artillery. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/000/casemates-fort-point-tour.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com">National Park Service</a></p> <p><strong>Most likely model:</strong> A <strong>3-inch Ordnance Rifle (Model 1861)</strong>&mdash;its long, slender iron tube and lack of a Parrott-style breech band match what&rsquo;s in your photos. This gun was widely used by U.S. field artillery from <strong>1861&ndash;1865</strong> and after, for training and displays. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3-inch_ordnance_rifle?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Wikipedia</a></p> <p><strong>Context at Fort Point:</strong> The fort interpreted/featured Civil War field artillery for visitors; they also run loading demos with a <strong>Napoleon 12-pounder</strong> outside the entrance, so both the 3-inch Rifle and the Napoleon are the two field guns you&rsquo;re most likely seeing there. <a href="https://www.parksconservancy.org/events/fort-point/cannon-loading-demonstration?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy</a> <a href="https://www.nps.gov/places/000/casemates-fort-point-tour.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com">National Park Service</a></p> <p><strong>Credits:</strong>&nbsp;</p> <p>Some technical descriptions and historical interpretations were developed with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model by OpenAI.</p>
  • Geographic Coverage: San Francisco, CA
  • Temporal Coverage: 1960s
  • Type: Still Image
  • Source: San Francisco State University Archives
  • Rights: Public

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