Product Details

Intricately engraved antique stock certificate from the Bay Shore and Fort Point Road Co. dating back to the 1860's. This document, which is signed by the company President and Secretary, was printed by Robbins & Co. Print and measures approximately 10 1/4" (w) by 5 1/4" (h).

This certificate's vignette features the company' road, Fort Point and a ship. Smaller vignettes appear at the bottom of the piece.

Images

You will receive the exact certificate pictured.

Please note chipping out of bottom left side border.

Historical Context

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In April 1861, the Bay Shore and Fort Point Road Company obtained a franchise from the California legislature to construct a macadamized road from Francisco and Mason Streets in San Francisco to Fort Point. The company did not begin construction for some time, however. In December 1861, Captain James Van Voast, then commanding Fort Point, informed the General commanding the Department that during a recent storm part of the road leading to Fort Point had been washed away by the sea. He noted that the damage "requires immediate attention" and assumed that since the Engineer Department had constructed the road, the same Department would be responsible for its repair.

Fort Point was accessible to the public by several routes, even before the Bay Shore and Fort Point Road Company began construction. The Daily Alta California noted the Fort's easy accessibility by land and sea in its description of a military exercise to be held there in 1862. The newspaper reported, "...if visitors weary before the usual hour of return, opportunity is offered to reach the city - the distance being so short, the Contra Costa will make hourly trips between Broadway and the Government Wharf near the Fort." The paper also described three different roads from the city to Fort Point: "Pacific Street, the stage road; Bush Street through Loan [Lone] Mountain Cemetary and by way of Hayes Park through the same necropolis."

The Bay Shore and Fort Point Road Company had begun constructing the eastern and middle sections of the road by September of 1863, and at that point requested permission to build on federal lands within the bounds of the Presidio and Fort Point. Permission was granted, with Brigadier General Wright commenting that he thought the new road: "might be of very great benefit to the troops stationed at Fort Point and [the] Presidio."

Once the road was completed, it was considered to be the property of the company, but under the control of the military.