Historic Structure Report: Fort Mason Officers Club

Lehman, Jane; Hagin, Jason; Baron, Kristin; Martini, John

McDowell Hall's history began in 1877, when the modest house that was originally on this site was moved and a luxurious ltalianate residence was built in its place-a structure more befitting the rank of the general residing there. It would also provide a symbol of the government's authority in the west when the general entertained visiting local and foreign statesmen. Between 1865 and 1943 virtually every significant general officer in the western states lived at the house including such famous (and infamous) personages as Irvin McDowell, Nelson Miles, Arthur MacArthur, Frederick Funston, and John DeWitt. In its role as the Commanding General's residence, the house was also the site of visits by numerous foreign and local dignitaries including military figures and at least two Presidents of the United States. In 1943 the general's house was converted into an "open mess" for officers assigned to the San Francisco Port of Embarkation at Fort Mason and Oakland Army Terminal. For the next six decades it served an ever-expanding role as a dining facility and transient housing for active duty and retired military personnel, earning the reputation as one of the Army's most historic and scenic officers clubs. The Fort Mason club was so popular that even after the closure of the Oakland Army Terminal, the club continued to operate under the sponsorship of the faraway Presidio of Monterey. When the Fort Mason Officers Club finally closed in January 2003, its passing was mourned by military and civilians alike who had come to appreciate the structure's views, history, ambiance, and important role in California and American history. The National Park Service has prepared this Historic Structure Report to both document and provide treatment recommendations for this important building. Primary and secondary historic research has been conducted and historic photographs have been analyzed to prepare the building's overall developmental history. Every room in the building has been surveyed, to document existing building features, assess historic fabric and to quantify existing conditions. Historic floor plans have been analyzed to identify changes to the building over time.

Historic Structure Report: Fort Mason Officers Club

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