WAYSIDE PANEL TITLE: Sustainability at Golden Gate PANEL DESCRIPTION: The wayside is located on the south eastern corner of the Crissy Field Center and faces north towards the bay.
WAYSIDE PANEL TITLE: The Last Word in Airfields PANEL DESCRIPTION: The wayside faces south, on the south side of the trail at the edge of Crissy Field.
WAYSIDE PANEL TITLE: "The Natural" Off-Set PANEL DESCRIPTION: The wayside faces south west, overlooking the lawn in front of the Crissy Field Center and beyond that, the East Beach parking lot.
WAYSIDE DESCRIPTION: At the edge of the East Beach parking lot, is a kiosk, a four-sided metal structure with three wayside panels. Facing west from the kiosk, the San Francisco Bay Trail is to your right, hugging the edge of the bay, and stretches on into the distance towards Crissy Field and to the north west, the Golden Gate Bridge.
This letter illustrates how regional and racial tensions were running high at this time in the country, and the role that these played in the Tennessee volunteers getting their reputation. August 15, 1898 Dear Uncle John, You would certainly laugh were you to visit Frisco about now, and ask a citizen about that Tennessee regiment. He would tell you they are the worst men for fighting you ever saw. The New York boys run from us.
Almost overnight the Presidio grew in size and importance. Now, in addition to the soldiers stationed here to defend San Francisco Harbor and the west coast, the post took on responsibilities for staging the operations in the Philippines and elsewhere in the Pacific.
The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail enters the Presidio here at Mountain Lake. The trail continues north to the edge of San Francisco, commemorating the route followed by the de Anza's expedition from Sonora, Mexico to the Golden Gate.
Named for former Presidio commander and first governor of Alta California, Luis Antonio Arguello, features delicious Mexican cuisine that's a major step up from the grub once served in the military chow line. The contemporary bar with craft cocktails is perfect for thirsty servicemen and civilians alike.
Arion Press matches the finest contemporary art with literary treasures past and present in books that are beautifully designed and produced. Tours of the historic printing and bookmaking facilities are held Thursday afternoons at 3:30 p.m. and last approximately an hour and a half.
In 1903, a new problem arrived at the crowded Presidio - the automobile. At that time, Col. Charles Morris, commander of the Presidio wrote to the president of the Automobile Club of California: "It is with regret that I report that autos are utterly disregarding the posted speed limits. If drivers continued their defiance of the rules, I will be forced to take drastic measures."
Baker Beach, a mile-long sandy stretch, is located in the southwest corner of the Presidio near the 25th Avenue Gate. For stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and Marin Headlands, this is one prime spot. And dog friends are welcome! The picnic area is cozy and sheltered from the wind. The tables are popular when the sun comes out, so get there early to claim a spot, especially on the weekends. The site is equipped with barbeque pits and nearby restrooms.
Follow the California Coastal Trail (CCT) for some of the most spectacular views anywhere along the CCT's 1200-mile span. For breathtaking views of the Pacific and the entrance to the bay, take a 3-mile roundtrip walk on the Coastal Trail to the Golden Gate Bridge and back.
During the Spanish-American War, less than 200 men died from battle injuries, but over 5000 died from sickness or disease. And much of the sickness was attributed to the lack of trained cooks. So, in 1905, the War Department opened the first school for bakers and cooks at Fort Riley, Kansas. It soon added schools at the Presidio, at Washington Barracks, D.C., and at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
This battery was completed and armed in 1900 and featured three 5-inch rapid fire guns designed to defend the offshore minefields against mine sweepers and fast torpedo boats. These guns had a range of seven miles and could be fired at the rate of up to thirty rounds per minute.
Battery Chamberlin is named in honor of Captain Lowell A. Chamberlin, First Artillery, who served with distinction in the Civil War and continued as an artillery officer until his death at the Presidio in 1889.
Completed in 1900, Battery Crosby was armed with 6-inch guns and designed to protect the underwater minefields outside the Golden Gate. The minefields guarded against minesweepers and fast moving boats trying to navigate through the minefields. Across the water, under and beyond the Golden Gate Bridge, you can see Fort Baker, established in 1901. This post played a prominent role in the San Francisco harbor defenses during WWII, including being the base of operations.
Despite the army's objections, Congress appropriated $400,000 in 1888 to purchase "pneumatic dynamite guns". In non-technical terms, these were guns that shot payloads of dynamite really, really far. A 50 pound shell went as far as 3 miles and a 500 pound shell went 1 mile. The guns fired charges by means of compressed air, like a potato gun.
In the forested area across Lincoln Boulevard is Battery Dynamite. In 1888, the US Army purchased some experimental "pneumatic dynamite guns." In non-technical terms, these guns shot payloads of dynamite for up to 3 miles out to sea. The guns used compressed air to fire charges, like a potato gun. The army set up two experimental dynamite batteries of three guns each, one here and the other at Sandy Hook, New Jersey.
Big brick forts full of cannons, like Fort Point, became obsolete during the US Civil War as rifled cannons could knock them down. As a result, work began on several new gun positions behind earthen berms on the coastal bluffs above Fort Point. By 1873, the first emplacement, East Battery, was completed and armed with twelve 15-inch Rodman cannons. West Battery was also constructed along the bluffs overlooking the Pacific as part of this phase of coastal defenses.
Battery Godfrey was armed with the largest weapons of the Endicott Period, 12-inch rifled guns mounted on barbette carriages. The guns could match the 12-mile range of battleship guns of that time.
Fort Point became obsolete during the US Civil War due to a shift in weaponry to rifled cannons, which were very accurate and could knock down brick forts by hitting the same spot repeatedly. As a result, the US Army started working on several new gun positions behind earthen berms on the bluffs above Fort Point. By 1873, Battery West was completed and armed with twelve 15-inch Rodman cannons.
From here you can see excellent examples of blue-green serpentinite rock. Serpentinite is metamorphosed mantle rock formed in subductions zones when water from the sinking ocean crust alters the surrounding mantle rocks. Because serpentinite is less dense than surrounding rocks, it makes its way to the surface along faults, like a cork rising up to float on water.
You may notice some rather large tree stumps as you descend the stairs. These are the remnants of Monterey pines and cypresses, invasive species that were removed to encourage growth and the return of native plants. Some of these natives are rare and endangered, like Raven's manzanita and Presidio Clarkia.
The tragedy of war is nowhere more evident that at our national cemeteries. The Philippine wars are no exception. In the early 1900s there were dozens of fresh graves in the sections to your right. The cemetery saw a huge increase of burials at this time; from 48 in 1898, to a peak of 855 in 1901. Soldier's bodies were first sent to the U.S. Army Morgue and Office of Identification in Manila.
Healthy food, healthy people. <a href="http://caferxsf.com/">Café RX</a> is your prescription for delicious and nutritious cuisine made from the freshest ingredients.
Each of the five cavalry stables built in 1914 were capable of housing 102 horse friends, enough for an entire company. In addition to the stables, there was a paddock, blacksmith shop and barracks that stood on the hill. The horse cavalry was phased out of the military after WWI, and the stables were eventually adapted for use as a K-9 Corps facility and a veterinary hospital.
The <a href="https://www.presidio.gov/venues/Chapel-of-Our-Lady">Chapel of Our Lady</a> is a beautiful place to get hitched, but if this venue is a must for you, so must be flexibility; reservations are taken up to two years in advance.
The Coastal Trail extends along the wind-swept coastal bluffs, which feels like a rugged retreat into the wilderness. The Batteries to Bluffs Trail allows access up and down through some of the most intact natural habitat in the Presidio. This is an area where rare plants such as the Franciscan manzanita have adapted to serpentine soil and cool, foggy conditions.
Crissy Field is the place for you, your friends and anyone else who wants to enjoy a stunning walk or bike ride along a flat, hard-packed promenade with iconic views of the bay and Golden Gate Bridge.
Crissy Field is a stunning place to walk or bike along a flat, hard-packed promenade with iconic views of the San Francisco Bay and Golden Gate Bridge. Yessir, Crissy Field has it all. Beaches, picnic spots, scenic overlooks and renowned conditions for windsurfing. Dog friends welcome!
<b>TEMPORARILY CLOSED</b> <br /><br />Please visit the <a href="https://www.parksconservancy.org/services/warming-hut-park-store-cafe-closed">Parks Conservancy</a> website for the most up to date information about the reopening of the Warming Hut.
