by Jonathan Sacks

Created on: October 31, 2008   Last Updated: November 07, 2008

Forming the southern half of the "Golden Gate," the Presidio has served as a beacon for visitors to San Francisco for centuries. During this period, it has undergone a dramatic conversion from Spanish fort to American base to National Park.

History

While George Washington and others were revolting on the East Coast in 1776, the Spanish were actively settling California. It was in this year that the Presidio was first established as a Spanish fort by Captain Juan Bautista de Anza. The small garrison was used to defend the area, though it received little support. In 1821, Mexico declared its independence and gained control of the Presidio. The Mexicans supported the fort even less, and it fell into disrepair.

Control of the Presidio changed hands once again in 1846, when John C Fremont and other American settlers took control. The once-neglected outpost would soon find itself as an increasingly active military base. When gold was discovered in California in 1848, the Presidio suddenly became a valuable defense for the rapidly-growing city of San Francisco.

During the Civil War, Union soldiers were stationed at the newly-built Fort Point. Soldiers were stationed at the Presidio through 1994, as the base prepared units for combat in the Spanish-American War, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. In 1994, the Presidio was transferred to the National Park Service as base closures occured throughout the United States.

San Francisco long enjoyed an open relationship with the installation. The base itself was surrounded by low walls, and the citizens of the city were free to come and go. The Presidio and its military presence also aided the city during the 1906 earthquake, providing supplies, manpower, and temporary shelter to those displaced by the disaster. It is this openness that has helped the Presidio's transition from a military base to a National Park.

The Presidio Today

Today's Presidio embraces both its military past and its environmental beauty as a National Park. Numerous military buildings, including Fort Point & Fort Winfield Scott, have been preserved, drawing tourists from all over the world. The remains of gun batteries that protected the Bay Area from a sea invasion that never materialized can still be seen throughout the costal areas of the park.The Presidio also serves as the most popular view point for the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. The Presidio Trust manages the restoration process of the old military buildings, even renting out residences to lucky San Franciscans. Reclamation efforts have also seen many areas restored to their native natural beauty, while in other areas, trees planted by the military over a century ago provide greenery to the once-barren hills. Former airfield Crissy Field is now an expansive grassland. On any sunny day in San Francisco, families pack the area, bringing children & dogs to play. Miles of hiking and biking trails offer San Francisco residents and visitors plenty of places to explore.

Once a desolate military outpost, the Presidio is now San Francisco's backyard, just waiting to be explored.

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