The Fort

The Fort is an adobe structure in Taft with 14-foot walls rising from the California landscape. The layout includes two courtyards, wooden gates, and an auditorium, all arranged across three acres with both sheltered and open areas.

Built between 1938 and 1940 under the Works Progress Administration, the structure was modeled after Sacramento's Sutter's Fort as a government office facility. The project emerged from Depression-era job creation efforts in California.

The name "Fort" references Sacramento's historic Sutter's Fort, which inspired its design and layout. Visitors walking through the grounds notice the Spanish colonial style reflected in the adobe construction and the way spaces open onto central courtyards.

The site offers both indoor and outdoor event spaces available for weddings, corporate functions, and community gatherings by reservation. Plan ahead if you want to use the kitchen facilities or need shelter for your group.

The site ranks among the largest WPA buildings constructed in the San Joaquin Valley during the Depression era. It gained recognition on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, relatively late for a New Deal-era structure.

Location: Taft

GPS coordinates: 35.15060,-119.46500

Latest update: December 14, 2025 12:22