Our mission is to promote understanding and appreciation of the history of the Presidio of San Francisco as reflected in its stories, structures, sites and people.
For 50 years, The Presidio Historical Association (PHA) — a nonprofit membership organization — has cared about the Presidio of San Francisco, the West Coast’s most meaningful National Historic Landmark and national park.
The Presidio of San Francisco is a national treasure where historical forces from across the American continent intersected with Europe, Latin America and Asia. The changes in the peoples, cultures and usage of the Presidio reflect more than two centuries of the American West. Once home to the Ohlone Indians, the Spaniards founded a garrison on the site in 1776. Resident soldiers of Spain (1776-1821), Mexico (1822-1846) and the United States (1846-1994) make the Presidio the oldest military base in the western United States. In 1994, the Army base closed and the Presidio of San Francisco became a national historic park and part of the renowned Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA).