Residents of San Francisco and the Bay Area have a unique and stunning resource in the Presidio, a national park within the boundaries of our city. Several restaurants have opened on Presidio land (see below), and the old military structures house both commercial and non-profit entities. The Presidio is home to wild plant and animal species, hiking trails, and waterfront habitat.
Brief History of the Presidio:
El Presidio was established by the Spanish 1776 as a frontier fort. After Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, the Presidio flew the Mexican flag for 24 years. The U.S. Army seized the Presidio in 1846, during the Mexican American War, and remained there until 1994 when the land was officially transferred to the National Park Service.
The Presidio Forest:
The Presidio wasn’t always a forest. In the late 1800s, eucalyptus, cypress and pine trees were planted throughout the area. The trees are now more than 100 years old, and are part of what make the Presidio such a scenic enclave of the city.
The Presidio Today:
Congress created the Presidio Trust in 1998. The Trust assumed responsibility for the land at that time.
The Presidio Trust receives Federal appropriations which diminish each year until 2012 when the funding ends, and the Presidio must become self-sustaining.
The most recent change, opened in 2005, is the Letterman Digital Arts Center developed by George Lucas