Living in the Bay Area is unique since there are so many places to get away from the concrete jungle we call cities by simply getting in our cars and driving to these places. You can be downtown one minute, cross the bridge and go through a tunnel and voila...you're out in open space, but you can still see the city from a distance.
I love going to the Marin Headlands as it looks so far, but it's actually a lot closer than you think. There are so many trails and points of interests that you can explore, or you can head down to Rodeo Beach. Head up to Point Bonita to check the lighthouse if you're feeling adventurous. In this same area, there's an old military battery on top of this hill that has a vantage view of everything I just mentioned.
Battery Wallace was named after Colonel Elmer J. Wallace, a Coast Artillery Officer who died in battle in Somlly, France in 1918. It's a WWI-era reinforced concrete with two 12 inch guns on each side. Construction started in 1917 and completed in 1921 which was then transferred to the Coast Artillery for use as part of the coastal defense. Initially, the design of the gun placements did not include overhead protection from potential bombers. These were added later on both sides that included 5' of earth for extra protection and it would blend in and act as a camouflage from aerial spotters. The Battery was casemated during WWII and decommissioned in 1948, three years after the war.
From below, the two gun emplacements looks ominous as you are looking up at them, and the first thing that comes to mind is fortified bunker. It must have been quite a sight the see both guns on each end just like an old gunslinger waiting to fire his guns at a moment's notice. This is one, cool looking battery as it just looks buff, beefy and manly.
*Insert Tim Allen grunting sound here.*
There are two separate tunnels leading to each gun emplacement, and you just feel secure walking through them. But the best feature of this battery is the gorgeous views that it provides from the front, topside and backend of the battery. You can see Battery Mendell down below as well the the beach and the ocean from the front and top and a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city from the rear. There's even a picnic area in the back, but that is another story to be told at a later time.
The next time you're in Point Bonita, just look up the hill from the parking lot and you'll see this gorgeous-looking battery and it'll be waiting for you to be explored.
#YelpChallenge2020 review No. 83 read more