In the 1797, a fort, which was later named Fort Mason by the Americans, was first established by the Spanish military within the Presido of San Francisco.
Two Mexican revolutions against the Spanish Empire failed. However, after the success of the third Mexican Revolution the fort fell under Mexican control for about twenty years. During the Mexican-American War the United States Military took over the fort and in 1850 renamed it Fort Mason after Colonel Richard Barnes Mason.
Colonel Mason was a decendant of founding father George Mason and was a member of the Dragoons during the Mexican-American War. After the American victory Colonel Mason became the fifth military Governor of California.