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Golden Gate National Recreational Area
Porch Reconstruction at Fort Baker
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090512074758im_/http://www.nps.gov/pwr/templates/images/graphics/spacer.gif) |
![historic photo of Fort Baker barracks historic photo of Fort Baker barracks](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090512074758im_/http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/images/1-Historic-photo-of-Bldg-60.jpg) |
PARC, GGNRA | Barracks Building 602 in 1939. |
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The wood-frame barracks at historic Fort Baker were constructed in 1902 to house over one hundred soldiers. These buildings, built in the Colonial Revival style, were built from standard army plans, which included front porches as an elegant architectural element.
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![contemporary photo of building 602 contemporary photo of building 602](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090512074758im_/http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/images/2-Bldg-602-October-2006.jpg) |
NPS | Building 602, as it has stood for over 50 years, without its front porch. Photo, October 2006. |
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In the 1950s, probably due to recurring maintenance problems, the army removed the historic porches. The removal of these two-story porches had a negative impact on the integrity and significance of the buildings and lessened their overall appearance.
In December 2006, the National Park Service and the Fort Baker Retreat Group began the rehabilitation project to convert Fort Baker into Cavallo Point, The Lodge at Golden Gate. The rehabilitation plan called for the post’s barracks buildings to be converted into assembly, dining and office space. The National Park Service does not traditionally add missing historic architectural elements back onto buildings unless there is sufficient historic documentation. But because the historic preservation professionals had the original 1905 building plans, as well as several historic photographs, the decision was made to re-construct new porches back onto the barracks buildings. New construction materials were used, so that in later years, future architects and historians would be able to tell the difference between the original 1905 porches and the newly added 2006 porches.
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![foundation work for new porches foundation work for new porches](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090512074758im_/http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/images/4_Porch-Reconst_June-2007_f.jpg) |
NPS | Installation of the foundation posts, June 2007 |
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The foundation posts for the new porches were secured in the ground with concrete. Toxic-free, pressure-treated lumber was used anywhere that the wood came into contact with soil to prevent putting any more chemicals into the ground.
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![porch construction at 2nd level porch construction at 2nd level](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090512074758im_/http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/images/6_Porch-Recon_July-2007_two.jpg) |
NPS | Porch construction, July 2007. |
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Once the foundation was set, the first level flooring was constructed. Then the posts on the 1st and 2nd levels were constructed and braced.
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![porch reconstruction at Building 602 porch reconstruction at Building 602](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090512074758im_/http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/images/Porch-Recon_August-2007_new.jpg) |
NPS | Construction at the front entrance, August 2007. |
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The building’s existing historic exterior walls were prepared for new construction. Carpenters covered the structural posts with white-painted veneer to replicate the original historic porches.
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![carpenter installing new deck flooring carpenter installing new deck flooring](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090512074758im_/http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/images/New-porch-floor-at-602-2-Oc.jpg) |
NPS photo | Building 602, October 2007 |
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Carpenters nailed the tongue-and-groove decking material to the floor joists.
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![new porch capitals new porch capitals](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090512074758im_/http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/images/porch-capital-602-October.jpg) |
NPS photo | Building 602, October 2007 |
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Carpenters added wooden capitals, using the design found in the historic drawings.
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![porch construction activity at Bldg 601, Fort Baker porch construction activity at Bldg 601, Fort Baker](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090512074758im_/http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/images/Novemberporch2.jpg) |
NPS PHOTO | Building 601, November 2007 |
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This photo shows the level of construction activity at Building 601 in November, 2007. Workers were sanding the porch posts and applying the wooden veneers.
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![ramp as part of the new porch construction ramp as part of the new porch construction](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090512074758im_/http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/images/NovemberBldg601ADAramp.jpg) |
NPS photo | New accessible ramp under construction at Building 601 |
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In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, it was a legal requirement for the new porch design to include an accessible ramp that lead up to the front door.
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![wood-frame earthquake shacks from 1906 wood-frame earthquake shacks from 1906](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090512074758im_/http://www.nps.gov/pwr/customcf/apps/CMS_HandF/Pictures/GOGA_earthquake-sheds.jpg) |
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Did You Know?
GGNRA owns two of these rare, wood-frame shacks, built in 1906 to shelter survivors of the famous San Francisco earthquake. Now located at the Presidio, these shacks once comprised 24 city blocks and at peak occupancy, housed a total of 16,448 refugees.
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Last Updated: November 04, 2008 at 16:42 EST |