Presidio of San Francisco, San Francisco Harbor, California (explore 5 Dec 2023)

The Presidio of San Francisco (originally, El Presidio Real de San Francisco or The Royal Fortress of Saint Francis) is a park and former U.S. Army post on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

It had been a fortified location since September 17, 1776, when New Spain established the presidio to gain a foothold in Alta California and the San Francisco Bay. It passed to Mexico in 1820, which in turn passed it to the United States in 1848.[6] As part of a military reduction program under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process from 1988, Congress voted to end the Presidio's status as an active military installation of the U.S. Army.[7] On October 1, 1994, it was transferred to the National Park Service, ending 219 years of military use and beginning its next phase of mixed commercial and public use.[8]

In 1996, the United States Congress created the Presidio Trust to oversee and manage the interior 80% of the park's lands, with the National Park Service managing the coastal 20%.[9] In a first-of-its-kind structure, Congress mandated that the Presidio Trust make the Presidio financially self-sufficient by 2013. The Presidio achieved the goal in 2005, eight years ahead of the deadline.[10]

The park has many wooded areas, hills, and scenic vistas overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. It was recognized as a California Historical Landmark in 1933 and as a National Historic Landmark in 1962.[5][4]

Beginning in the 1890s, the Presidio was home to the Letterman Army Medical Center (LAMC), named in 1911 for Jonathan Letterman, the medical director of the Civil War-era Army of the Potomac. LAMC provided thousands of war-wounded with high-quality medical care during every US foreign conflict of the 20th century.

One of the last two remaining cemeteries within the city's limits is the San Francisco National Cemetery. Among the military personnel interred there are General Frederick Funston, hero of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, and commanding officer of the Presidio at the time of the 1906 earthquake; and General Irvin McDowell, a Union Army commander who lost the First Battle of Bull Run.

The Marine Hospital operated a cemetery for merchant seamen approximately 100–250 yards (91–229 m) from the hospital property. Based on city municipal records, historians estimate that the cemetery was used from 1885 to 1912.[12] As part of the "Trails Forever" initiative, the Parks Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the Presidio Trust partnered to build a walking trail along the south side of the site featuring interpretive signage about its history.[13]

Street map of 1937 of the Army Base
The Presidio was the home of the Western Defense Command headquarters during World War II. It was here that Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt signed 108 Civilian Exclusion Orders and directives for the internment of Japanese Americans under the authority of Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942.[14]

The Presidio sent its few remaining units to war for the last time in 1991 for Desert Storm, the First Gulf War. The role of the Sixth Army was the management of training and coordinating deployment of Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve units in the Western U.S. for Operation Desert Storm.After a hard-fought battle, the Presidio averted being sold at auction and came under the management of the Presidio Trust, a U.S. government corporation established by an act of Congress in 1996.[10][15][failed verification]

The Presidio Trust now manages most of the park in partnership with the National Park Service. The trust has jurisdiction over the interior of 80 percent of the Presidio, including nearly all its historic structures. The National Park Service manages coastal areas. Primary law enforcement throughout the Presidio is the jurisdiction of the United States Park Police.

One of the main objectives of the Presidio Trust's program was achieving financial self-sufficiency by fiscal year 2013, which was reached in 2006. Immediately after its inception, the trust began preparing rehabilitation plans for the park. Many areas had to be decontaminated before being prepared for public use.

The Presidio Trust Act calls for the "preservation of the cultural and historic integrity of the Presidio for public use." The Act also requires that the Presidio Trust be financially self-sufficient by 2013. These imperatives have resulted in numerous conflicts between the need to maximize income by leasing historic buildings and permitting public use despite most structures being rented privately. Further differences have arisen from the divergent needs to preserve the integrity of the National Historic Landmark District in the face of new construction, competing pressures for natural habitat restoration, and requirements for commercial purposes that impede public access.

Crissy Field, a former airfield, has undergone extensive restoration and is now a popular recreational area. It borders on the San Francisco Marina in the east and on the Golden Gate Bridge in the west.

I was stationed here during the late 70's and early 80's in the US Army. My famiily loved it here very much. It is so sad to see what the politics have done to the city since then. I don't have to go into detail because it has been all over the news for years. We returned to visit in October of this year and avoided all the crime and homelessness. We avoided those areas. Did not see one policeman that day. As you can see the tourist still come to see this famous city. There has been lots of changes to the Presidio since we were stationed there. It is now being preserved as a historic site and they lease out the old military family housing and old military facilities to bring in money. It is a great place to see if you have never visited there :) This is a picture of the old parade field overlooking the harbor in which I participated in a lot of parades and I worked in one of the buildings on your left just out of view. It was my best assignment while I was in the Army.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukAhXKkxBwU

Sad to Know your Leaving - Gregory Isaacs

Taken in: United States / California / Fort Winfield Scott (show map)

Taken on: October 18, 2023

Tags:

California

Presidio

Francisco

explore « less

Groups appears in: • The World Through My Eyes ... • "A" Class (comment 2) Pls, Comment immediately. more » • I Saw The Light! Lighting, Night, Shadows, Light Painting, HDR • "FRIENDS" P1/A2 • ! Quality Pixels! No 2nd Life Images • ***SCREAM OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER*** • ! 90+ Faves (P1,A+F3) • ~ The Award Tree ~ Post 1, Award 3 ~ • Baú Group Images • Our Memories, Our Times • A. VENTANA A LAS FOTOS- L 1 - WINDOW TO THE PHOTOS - PON 1, COM • National Geographic | World Wide • !*Flickr Award Group*! (GIVE 5 AWARDS) • ! !^FreedomHawk Level 1 (Post 1:Award/Fave 3) • ! !^Roby's Friendly Corner 25+ Faves Level 1 • ! !^This Is Magic! Level 1 • ! !^Good Morning Happiness Level 1 • ! !^Make Me Wonder Level 1 • ! !^Freedom Excellence 25+ Faves (Level 1) • as beautiful as you want • The Light Painters Society • Magic Universe P1/A2 - Active Sweeper • *ANGEL AWARDS, POST 1 / GIVE 3 ANGELS , SWEEPER ACTIVE • ! !^Life's a Journey Level 1 • EVERYTHING SCENERY! • ! !^Exquisite Art 50+ Faves (Level 1) • ! !^Admiration Gallery 15+ Faves Level 1 • Lenguaje de las nubes★Aurora★Clouds language. • Image Gallery... B&W and Colour !!! [No AI or SL] • We Are Free / Somos libres • MarculescuEugen Dreams of Light Portal • !* VAN GOGH AWARD (Post 1 / Award 2) • !* R.S.V.P. ♥ Something from the heart ♥ P1/C2 • Digital Masterpiece • ! FavTop Plus 200+ (P1, A+F4) • All That's Beautiful Post 1 & Award 2 . . . Please • Enjoy the photograph.Exchange with people all over the world. • in your dreams.. by admin invitation ~ P1/C2 • Colore mio mondo .. by invitation.. P1/C2 • Art For Fun ~P1/ A1 ~ • ☼DIBUJANDO CON LA LUZ☼ - ☼DRAWING WITH LIGHT☼ • ! !^ItalianLifeStyle 15+ Faves (Level 1) • Flickr Hall of Fame • Our Wonderful and Fragile World - P1 - A4 • NUESTRAS FOTOGRAFÍAS. • Look out for Pirates by Invite only - *Refer to invite thread* • -- Felice ... Sutri Group • Galería Siabala • Perfect Beauty II • medulaparamateo~for a better world (#M4M) please award 2 • Sun | Sky | Cloud • The Blind Pig Speakeasy • in explore • The Dark Side Of The Light - No Second Life • Art Museion • More Like Magnum - Street Assignments • Vita es Splendor and friends • Life Soaked • "A Fine Romance Group • GLOW !! • Greenscene ~ Admin Invite ~ • * just photos * no rules please use comment code appreciated • Visual Delights • Photo Artistry • MakeLove☮NotWar • Flickrology • Paint a Picture • Visual Artistry • PhotoParagon Level 1 50+Fav's Obligatory Post 1 Award/Fav 5 • POST IT HERE LEVEL 1 • ! with people -in colour • WONDERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN GENERAL.MARAVILLAS DE LA FOTOGRAFIA EN • Transporters Spotters Guide World Wide Guide. « less

Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, f/8.0, 1/320 sec, 45mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Lens:	EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Aperture:	f/8.0
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/320)
Focal Length:	45mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 13.0.2 (Windows)
Show full info

Stats: 37,823 views / 301 comments