PRESIDIO OF SAN FRANCISCO
GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
FACT SHEET
Background
For 200 years and under three flags, the Presidio served as a
military garrison. Established in 1776 by Lt. Col. Juan Bautista de
Anza III, it was the third and northernmost of four Spanish outposts
in California. In 1822, Mexico gained its independence from Spain
and assumed control of the Presidio, only to abandon it in 1835 for a
base in Sonoma. In 1850, President Millard Fillmore established the
Presidio as a U.S. military reservation in response to the Gold Rush
population boom, and the post quickly became an important extension
of the U.S. military.
For its rich military architecture and important role in the
development of the West, the Presidio was designated a national
historic landmark district in 1962. Ten years later, Congress
established the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA),
legislation that required the Presidio to be converted to a national
park if it became surplus to the Army. In 1989, Congress approved
the closing of the Presidio under the Base Realignment and Closure
Act. The following year, planning for a new Presidio as a national
park began with extensive community meetings and technical and
financial studies. In 1994, the new Presidio General Management Plan
was approved, and the Presidio was officially turned over to the
National Park Service. Implementation of programs was begun to
transform the former military post into a national park for the 21st
century.
The Presidio Today
With scenic vistas of San Francisco Bay and more than 800 acres of
open space, the Presidio offers unparalleled recreational resources,
including 11 miles of hiking trails, 14 miles of biking routes,
ranger- and docent-led tours, a world renowned boardsailing area,
beaches, picnic sites, and walks. More than 500 of the Presidio's
buildings have been classified as historic structures, and its
300-acre historic forest will be maintained as part of the cultural
landscape. Future plans include museums highlighting Native
American, military, California and western history.
Visitors
An estimated 3.5 million people visited the Presidio in 1994, and by
the year 2000, 6.5 million people will visit the park annually.
Nearby attractions and points of interest include the Golden Gate
Bridge, historic Fort Point, Alcatraz, the Exploratorium and Palace
of Fine Arts, Fort Mason Center, Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39.
Information
Contact the Presidio Visitor Center at 415/561-4323 or the Presidio
Museum at 415/561-4331
Ocean Planet Home Page
gene carl feldman (gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov) (301) 286-9428
Judith Gradwohl, Smithsonian Institution (Curator/Ocean Planet)
Contact the Presidio Visitor Center at 415/561-4323 or the Presidio
Museum at 415/561-4331