The Presidio and Coit Tower

Two of the most famous and iconic landmarks in the city of San Francisco are the Presidio and Coit Tower. Though very different, they both have great historical and cultural significance and each is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists and locals alike each year.

The Presidio is a large tract of land in the northwest portion of the city. It was originally a US Army base and was used as such until 1994, though in later years, little actual military activity took place there. It is now administered by the National Park Service and is jointly administered along with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The military barracks and other buildings have been preserved, as well as the fortifications, airfield, and other military installations.

The Presidio contains some of the most desirable land in the city. It includes much of the city’s shoreline, and on the west side, some of its most dramatic coastal scenery and beaches. The southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge attaches to the Presidio. Within its largely undeveloped areas are eucalyptus groves, large grassy areas, rocky outcrops offering views of the Golden Gate, and numerous hiking trails. For many years, posting at the Presidio was a reward for officers who had distinguished themselves or who were at the end of a long career; it was always one of the most sought-after postings. It’s easy to see why; the setting is dramatically beautiful. Also, the urban area of San Francisco and Marin County are literally right next door.

It’s easy to surmise that had the Army not kept a tight grip on this parcel of land for so long, it would now be heavily developed, the way the nearby and similar Marina, Richmond, and Sunset districts are (those areas are very densely populated and only interrupted by the Presidio and Golden Gate Park). When the Army decided to leave the base, there was some debate about whether the land would be turned over to developers, given to the city, or (the alternative that was chosen) would remain federal land but be turned over to the National Park Service the same as the Arches National Park was. Now, together with Golden Gate Park, it comprises one of the largest urban parkscapes in the US. Its character remains peaceful and bucolic; many of the former Army installations have been converted into other uses, such as the Environmental Education Center at Crissy Field.

The Presidio’s location at the southern end of the Golden Gate was highly strategic, which is why the Spanish originally chose that site for a fort in 1776 (Rolle & Verge, 27). The US seized it from Mexico in 1846; almost a century later, it was an important staging point for soldiers headed for the Pacific. A number of artillery emplacements were built at the Presidio’s high points and on the Marin headlands to defend the Golden Gate against attack; you can still tour these emplacements today.

Coit Tower is a very recognizable landmark, atop Telegraph Hill in east-central San Francisco, west of downtown. The tower is named after Lillie Colt, a wealthy socialite. She grew up in San Francisco in the late 19th century and loved to ride along with the city’s firemen as they answered alarms. She grew to love the city and when she died, left a large bequest to beautify the city. The tower was built with those funds. There was some debate over whether the money would be used for more prosaic projects, but it was eventually decided that something distinctive and beautiful rather than simply utilitarian should be built. The result was a tremendous tourist attraction that also fulfills Lillie’s wish of beautifying the city.

Coit Tower is accessed by a winding road that ends in a small parking lot. When you enter the tower (sometimes after a long wait to park!) you see that the lobby of the tower features several murals. Interestingly, several of these murals depict socialist/workers’ themes; for instance, in one, a man is shown reaching for a copy of Karl Marx’s Das Kapital. The murals were done in 1933 as part of the WPA artists’ project, so perhaps their political orientation isn’t surprising.

The view from the top of the tower is phenomenal. The tower affords a 360-degree panorama of the entire city, from the downtown area and the Bay Bridge in the east, to Twin Peaks, the Presidio, and the Golden Gate Bridge to the west. The Marin headlands and the East Bay are also visible. As possibly the single best vantage point in the city, Coit Tower receives heavy visitation, especially in the summer (though you want to get to the top before the fog rolls in!). As an alternative to fighting for a parking spot, you can take the bus there and climb the Filbert Steps, a series of wooden staircases that climb directly up to the tower.

These landmarks are important because they are characteristic of how the city of San Francisco was built and its cultural heritage. The Presidio exists as it does today because of San Francisco’s tremendous strategic importance at the mouth of San Francisco Bay, one or the very few sheltered deep-water anchorages on the entire North American Pacific coast. It retained its military value until and through WWII, which meant that it was never subjected to urban development and that when the Army withdrew from it, its best and highest use was deemed to be as a park for the people. Coit Tower symbolizes and commemorates one of the many private citizens who grew to love San Francisco and helped it grow. Though this is probably a coincidence, the shape of the tower, like a fireman’s nozzle, commemorates Lillie Colt’s love for firefighters. Whether or not this is true, San Francisco did suffer a tremendously destructive fire in the aftermath of the 1906 San Andreas Fault earthquake and no doubt still highly values its firefighters. These two landmarks illustrate San Francisco’s colonial, military, and urban history and should be at the top of any visitor’s to-see list.

Reference

Rolle, A. & Verge, A. (2007). California: A History. (7th ed.) Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.