Presidio Park is a city historic park in
San Diego
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
, California. It is the site where the
San Diego Presidio
El Presidio Real de San Diego (Royal Presidio of San Diego) is a historic fort in San Diego, California. It was established on May 14, 1769, by Gaspar de Portolá, leader of the first European land exploration of Alta California—at that time a ...
and the
San Diego Mission, the first European settlements in what is now the
West Coast of the United States
The West Coast of the United States, also known as the Pacific Coast and the Western Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. The term typically refers to the Contiguous United States, contig ...
, were founded in 1769.
The park encompasses about and offers views of the city, the
San Diego River valley, and the Pacific Ocean. The grounds are open to the public. The facilities can be used for weddings and other special events.
History
In 1773, the mission moved a few miles upriver, while the fort remained on Presidio Hill. The presidio had been established to protect against Indian attacks and foreign invasions. As the need for such protection disappeared, people preferred to live in
Old Town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins. In some cases, newer developments on t ...
at the foot of the hill, and the fort was gradually abandoned. It was in ruins by 1835.
The
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
set up
Fort Stockton in the old fort in the
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...
. Fort Stockton at Presidio Park is California Historical Landmark No. 54.
In 1907,
George Marston, a wealthy department store owner and civic leader, bought Presidio Hill with the aim of preserving the historic site. Unable to attract city funding, Marston built a private park (planned by architect John Nolan) including the Serra Museum (designed by architect
William Templeton Johnson
William Templeton Johnson (1877 – 1957) was a notable San Diego architect. He was a fellow to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1939.
Johnson is known for his Spanish Revival buildings, all in San Diego unless otherwise noted:
* L ...
) in 1925. Marston donated the park to the city in 1929.
[
The spot in the park where ]Junípero Serra
Saint Junípero Serra Ferrer (; ; November 24, 1713August 28, 1784), popularly known simply as Junipero Serra, was a Spanish Roman Catholic, Catholic priest and missionary of the Franciscan Order. He is credited with establishing the Francis ...
planted a palm tree when he first arrived in 1769 was declared a California Historical Landmark
A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in the U.S. state of California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance.
Criteria
Historical significance is determined by meetin ...
.
Junípero Serra Museum
The Junípero Serra Museum is operated by the San Diego Historical Society and features displays about the city's founding. Built in 1925, the Serra Museum, with its Mission architecture, is sometimes erroneously called the Presidio.
The Junípero Serra Museum exhibits archeological finds, historic objects, and reference materials related to Spanish colonization and the early history of California and provides educational programs about the Spanish, Mexican and indigenous heritage of the San Diego region.
The Serra Museum was the original home of the San Diego Historical Society, founded in 1929 by philanthropist George Marston. The organization, renamed the San Diego History Center, relocated to Balboa Park in 1982.
See also
* List of parks in San Diego
* California Historical Landmarks in San Diego County
References
{{Reflist
External links
Official site
Archived original official siteJunípero Serra Museum, in Presidio Park
- San Diego History Center
Presidio Park map
Municipal parks in California
Urban public parks
Parks in San Diego
History of San Diego
Landmarks in San Diego
Junípero Serra