The 1,491-acre Presidio we know today actually has its roots in the small military fort established at the Golden Gate by Spain in 1776. This first settlement was named el Presidio de San Francisco. The Presidio and nearby Mission Dolores (established at the same time) were the first sites built by European settlers. From these humble beginnings, the City of San Francisco later emerged.

Among Spanish fortifications in North America, el Presidio is unique. As the frontier edge of a vast empire known as Nueva España, el Presidio was a defensive check against Russian expansion into North America, with the Russian colony of Fort Ross a mere 60 miles north. Its commanding presence overlooking the finest natural harbor on the California coast made el Presidio guardian over an international port for trade, adventure, and scientific discovery.

The Significance of El Presidio

The site of el Presidio de San Francisco is the cornerstone of the park’s archaeology program. El Presidio de San Francisco is the only one of four Spanish fortifications and 21 missions in California located in a national park. This provides an opportunity to teach about the Spanish Colonial period in our nation’s heritage.

Under the occupation of the U.S. Army (1846-1994), the site of the original el Presidio later became part of the Presidio’s Main Post, the administrative and social center of the military garrison. The Officers’ Club and former Chapel, the historic Funston Cottages, nearby parade grounds, and underground foundations are among the Presidio’s most significant historical resources. This section explains el Presidio’s history as well as current efforts to understand and share this remarkable site.