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APRIL 12
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2 D a D
Presidio Stories Symposium
April 12 - 15, 2000
Summary Report
Prepared by:
Moore Iacofano Goltsman (MIG), Inc.
800 Hearst Avenue
Berkeley, California
94710
For:
Presidio Trust
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary 1
Introduction 3
Presidio Background and History 4
Location and Resources 5
Presidio Transition 7
NPS and Presidio Trust Partnership 8
Presidio Stories Symposium 9
Planning Process 9
Evolution of the Symposium........ ..11
Stakeholder Focus Groups 12
Symposium Description 14
Key Presentations 15
Amy Meyer 15
John Reynolds 16
RoseOchi 16
Robert G. Stanton 17
Jim Meadows .18
Carey Feierabend 19
Presidio Field Tour 20
Main Post 22
Letterman Complex 23
Crissy Shoreline 24
Crissy Airfield 25
Fort Scott 26
Fort Point...., ...27
Baker Beach 28
Lobos Creek Valley 29
Inspiration Point 30
Interdisciplinary Working Groups 31
Group A 32
Group B 33
Presidio Stories i
Group C 34
Group D 35
Group E 36
The Presidio Stories 37
Key Concepts 37
Major Themes 40
Military History 42
Crossroads of Culture 43
Restoring Natural Systems 44
Changing Landscapes 45
Transformation 46
Next Steps 47
Work Session— 8/23/00 48
Major Concepts 49
Presidio Stories 50
Criteria For Prioritization 52
Public Workshop— 10/4/00 54
Acknowledgements 63
Appendix A: Transcriptions 70
Appendix B: Focus Groups 90
Presidio Stories ii
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On April 13-15, 2000, the Presidio Trust and the National Park Service
hosted Presidio Stories: A Visitor Experience and Interpretation
Symposium on the Presidio at the Golden Gate Club. The purpose of
the conference was to develop unifying concepts for the interpretation of
the Presidio. It extended the work begun by the General Management
Plan Amendment of 1994, the Long Range Interpretive Plan of 1998,
and the focus groups convened in 2000.
The Symposium drew nearly 60 invited participants from around the
country, who participated in an intense three-day program. In addition to
Presidio Trust Board members, Trust staff, and National Park Service
representatives, the participants included experts from a wide range of
subjects, including natural resources, cultural resources, general and
military history, minority communities including Native Americans, travel
and tourism, and media technology, among others. A full list of
Symposium participants is included at the end of the report.
The Symposium included a field tour of the Presidio, five
interdisciplinary brainstorming groups, and plenary sessions at the
opening and conclusion of the meeting. Rose Ochi of the Department of
Justice spoke on inclusive interpretation. Addresses by NPS Director-
Robert G. Stanton, NPS Regional Director John Reynolds, GGNRA
Superintendent Brian O'Neill, and Presidio Trust Executive Director Jim
Meadows all endorsed the unique partnership of the Trust and the Park
Service at the Presidio.
The energy level was consistendy high and participants discussed a full
range of interpretation issues. Several key themes emerged, including the
complexity of the park, the necessity of "telling all the stories", the role of
oral histories, the diversity of our audiences, the need to explain not only
the past but also the future of this sustainable park, and the role of new
media in contemporary interpretation. Participants focused on the many
stories which can and should be told at the Presidio; however, it is
generally agreed that even this intense three-day event could not address
all the Presidio stories, and others may emerge in the future.
Presidio Stories 1
PRESIDIO
Tliis Report organizes the stories that emerged into five categories:
(1) Military History,
(2) Crossroads of Culture,
(3) Restoring Natural Systems,
(4) Changing Landscapes and
(5) Transformation: The Presidio from "Post to Park".
The Trust and NPS staffs were energized by working together with the
park's stakeholders toward a common goal. Since the Symposium, the
Trust and the Park Service have begun an action plan for park
interpretation. Milestones in this process included a follow-up discussion
on August 23 to prioritize key stories, and a public forum on October 4,
which informed the plans of the Presidio Trust and National Park
Sendee.
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Symposium participants discuss archaeology at
the Main Post,
Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUP
INTRODUCTION
Visitor Experience and Interpretation at the Presidio
Visitor experience and interpretation are essential elements of any unit of
the National Park Service. The visitor experience at the Presidio is
diverse and varied, due to the complex history, landscape, and resources
of the site. Interpretation at the Presidio refers to telling the stories of
the Presidio in a way that addresses a diverse range of visitor needs and
experiences.
The Presidio of San Francisco is in a unique position as a national park.
It is in a period of transition, from military use to national park.
Additionally, the Presidio is also a unique unit within the National Park
System, as it is administered by both the Park Service and the Presidio
Trust, which is a government corporation. The Presidio Trust manages
about 80% of the Presidio, and has the additional mandate of being
financially self-sustainable by the year 2013. The National Park Service
manages the remainder of the Presidio, and is also responsible for
providing visitor orientation, interpretive services, and education
programs throughout the park, in cooperation with the Trust. The
National Park Service and the Presidio Trust have undertaken the
challenge of developing a new model of interpretation, education and
community outreach for the Presidio of San Francisco. The visitor
experience at the Presidio will be educational, interactive, and accessible
to a wide range of visitors.
The Presidio Stories Symposium was an opportunity for the National
Park Service and the Presidio Trust to call on experts in many disciplines
to develop ideas and themes for visitor experience and interpretation at
the Presidio. This Report presents the results of the Symposium, and
looks at the next steps for enhancing the visitor experience at the
Presidio.
Presidio Stories 3
PRESIDIO
Presidio Background Information And History
The Presidio of San Francisco is a national park of uncommon beauty
and history in the. heart, of a flourishing urban area. The Park-
encompasses 1,480 acres from the Pacific Ocean to the San Francisco
Bay. The Presidio offers visitors a diverse range of resources and
k experiences, including forested areas, a shoreline promenade, historic
I | W"' buildings, and interpretive programs which reflect the Presidio's rich
• history. Additionally, die Presidio is home to a dozen native plant
^«J«I communities, and is a National Historic Landmark District.
Golden Gate Vvo.mnade
While the Presidio was the oldest continuously operated military base in
the country, the story of the site begins long before the military
occupation. The history of the Presidio spans Native American
settlements and over 200 years of military use by Spanish, Mexican and
United States armies.
Today, the National Park Service and the Presidio Trust face many
opportunities and challenges as they consider the future of the Presidio.
Examples of issues include preservation of natural systems amid a
recreation area in an urban environment, and creating a sustainable plan
for the future tenancy and management of the Presidio. The opportunity
and challenge that was the main focus of the Presidio Stories Symposium
is that of creating an interpretive experience for visitors to learn about
the vast and varied Presidio stories, while having the opportunity to tell
their own stories and make them a part of the greater Presidio
experience.
Crossroads, . . of past, present and
future, of wild and urban, of
recreation and preservation.
Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Location and Resources
The Presidio is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, a
national park created in 1972 that links preserved open spaces to the
north and south of the Golden Gate.
The location of the Presidio has been significant throughout time. In
terms of natural features, the Presidio stands at the headlands of the
Golden Gate, the meeting point of the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco
Bay. The Presidio also served as a coastal defense station for the principal
American port of entry on the West Coast.
The Presidio preserves natural environments within a heavily urbanized
area, but unlike any other National Park, it also contains more than 750
buildings, a golf course, a national cemetery, and a full range of
recreational and community services on its 1,480 acres.
Presidio Stories 5
PRESIDIO
This map locates the Presidio of San Francisco within the
Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
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6 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Presidio Transition: From Post To Park
The Presidio was one of the longest-used military bases in the United
States. The Spanish, Mexican and United States armies each occupied
the Presidio. Due to its location at the Golden Gate, the Presidio
provided 200 years of coastal defense, and marked the western frontier
for the United States military.
The Presidio was included in Congress's 1972 authorization of the
Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The law stated that the post was
to be transferred to the National Recreation Area when the Army
determined that die base was excess to their needs. In 1989, as a result
of the Base Realignment and Closure Act, the Army announced that the
post would be closed. In 1990, the National Park Service began planning
for the conversion to a national park. This process culminated in the
General Management Plan Amendment for the Presidio issued in 1994.
In October 1994, jurisdiction of the Presidio was transferred from the
United States Army to the National Park Service. In 1996, Congress
established the Presidio Trust, which assumed administration of 80% of
the Presidio in July 1998. The transformation from a military post to a
self-sustaining national park is a singular experience within the national
park system. This presents unique and diverse opportunities for Presidio
visitors.
Thus, the military stories of the Presidio will play an integral role in the
visitor experience. Additionally, the military stories are linked with other
facets of the transformation of the Presidio, such as the changes to the
natural environment, and the stories of the people who inhabited the
Presidio over time.
Presidio Stories 7
PRESIDIO
"One of the great
challenges of
interpretation is to
deliver a message
that is truthful,
balanced and as fair
as we can make it."
-NPS Director
National Park Service and Presidio Trust Partnership
The Presidio Trust and the National Park Service, in partnership, are
responsible for the preservation, enhancement, maintenance and
operation of the Presidio. The Trust manages the interior non-coastal
areas of the Presidio, while the National Park Service is in charge of the
coastal areas. The Trust and the National Park Service work together to
provide educational, resource management, public safety, interpretive and
visitor services throughout the park.
In addition to the services provided by the National Park Service and the
Presidio Trust, numerous community organizations also work to support
education, conservation and sustainability programs at the Presidio.
Robert Stanton, National Park Service Director, and Jim Meadows,
Director of the Presidio Trust, spoke at the Presidio Stories Symposium.
Their speeches outlined the roles of the two organizations and the
partnership between the NPS and the Trust.
This excerpt from Director Stanton's speech illustrates the role of the
NPS at the Presidio regarding the visitor experience:
"The overriding unifying role of the National Park Service here at the
Presidio is our responsibility to tell the story of this place in all its varied
parts for those who come herefrom down the street or around the world. The
telling of the story is what we call interpretation. . . The National Park
Service plays an important role in shaping the environment, civic life, cultural
heritage, economy, and future of the nation's cities and the communities
. . . This role must be based on sound stewardship of resources and an accurate
understanding of the relationship between people, parks, and their
environment. "
Presidio Trust Director Jim Meadows' remarks explained the
complementary roles of the Trust and NPS in enhancing the visitor
experience at the Presidio:
'The National Park Service brings great traditions, a knowledge base,
planning concepts and a national perspective, while the Trust brings fresh
perspectives, new technologies, funding implementation and a Presidio focus
... Each organisation's strengths, when combined in partnership, can achieve
what neither organisation could do by itself."
Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYM POSIUT
THE PRESIDIO STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Planning Process for the Presidio Stories Symposium
Purpose And Goats Of The Symposium
Purpose
The National Park Service and the Presidio Trust are charged with
preserving the resources of the Presidio, and ensuring that they are
accessible to visitors. The interpretive information that is available must
effectively convey the significance of these resources.
The Presidio Stories Symposium was an important step in enhancing the
visitor interpretive experience at the Presidio. At the Symposium,
participants worked together to help identify the most meaningful stories
that are represented in the natural, historical, architectural and cultural
resources of the Presidio, to find new and innovative ways to tell these
stories, and to give Presidio visitors opportunities to tell their own
stories.
With the results of the Symposium, the National Park Service and the
Presidio Trust will build on the Presidio General Management Plan
Amendment planning process and move forward to incorporate new
opportunities into the development of the Presidio's interpretation and
visitor experience programs.
ec What should the big picture of the Presidio he?
Where is the vision that will stir our Mood, that
will he commensurate with the unique quality,
heavily and inspiration of this world-class site?"
- Former NPS Director William P. Mott > Jr.
Presidio Stories 9
PRESIDIO
Goals
The Presidio Stories Symposium Planning Committee developed a list of
goals for the outcome of the symposium. The Planning Committee
determined that unifying concepts are needed to address diverse visitor
experiences, and tell the stories of the Presidio in a compelling way. The
goals for the Presidio Stories Symposium were:
1. Identify the special places and messages which convey the
historical, cultural, and natural stories of the Presidio.
2. Articulate the desired visitor experience(s) at the Presidio and
generate ideas on how the Presidio should serve a broad and
diverse local constituency, national and international visitors.
3. Provide recommendations for Presidio tenants, Trust and
National Park Service managers to enhance interpretation and
educational opportunities.
4. Explore links to other related interpretive, visitor service and
educational efforts.
5. Enhance public interest in the value and relevancy of the
Presidio.
6. Create an interpretive model for the Presidio as a National
Park of the twenty-first century.
10 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Evolution Of The Symposium
Citizens' concern for the future interpretation and visitor experience at
the park provided an impetus for the Presidio Stories Symposium. NPS
and Trust staff also recognized the need for organizing and presenting
the many stories that are intrinsically part of the past, present, and future
of the Presidio. To assist in creating a more complete visitor experience,
and to help formulate an interpretive plan for the Presidio which could
fulfy engage myriad and diverse visitors, the Trust and the Park Service
decided to draw upon a broad pool of expertise, both local and national,
to participate in the Symposium.
The Presidio Stories Planning Committee worked together to create the
Presidio Stories Symposium. The Planning Committee was comprised of
a core group of Presidio Trust staff, National Park Service staff, and the
Symposium facilitators. The Planning Committee developed a list of
participants, all of whom are interested in the future of the Presidio and
the visitor interpretive experience.
The Presidio Stories Symposium builds on past planning efforts and
focuses on implementation. Building on the Presidio General
Management Plan Amendment, an interdisciplinary team of NPS and
Presidio Trust staff conducted three internal workshops on interpretation
and the visitor experience for three specific sites: Letterman Complex,
Public Health Service Complex and the Main Post. Additionally, the
Presidio Trust sponsored a public workshop on interpretation and visitor
services in September 1999. The results of these workshops began to
identify some of the ke}^ stories of the Presidio, and to identify new
interpretive tools.
Presidio Stories 1 1
PRESIDIO
Stakeholder Focus Groups
As part of the planning process for the Presidio Stories Symposium, the
Planning Committee held stakeholder focus groups in January and
February, 2000. The focus groups were held as a way to prepare for the
Symposium, and many of the same questions regarding how to tell the
Presidio stories were presented. Focus groups met to consider the goals
for Presidio interpretation and visitor experience, identify areas of
concern, and provide recommendations for the Symposium.
Each of the focus groups had unique comments on the Presidio
interpretive experience. Following is a listing of the focus groups, and
some of the main observations of each group:
1) The Golden Gate National Recreation Area Staff of natural and
cultural resource managers had many resonant responses and
concrete suggestions. They saw the post in its (1) historic, (2) natural,
and (3) recreational dimensions.
2) The Environmental Interest Group stressed the need to manage
watersheds and plant communities as ecological systems. They called
for partnerships with local educational institutions for research and
classes. They also urged "artistic interpretations."
3) The Tourism and Travel Group had a strong response to the
natural beauty of the post and expressed a great sense of surprise at
discovering so many historic buildings here. They also mentioned
the experience of getting lost in the park. The Tourism Group noted
that the Presidio is marked by "segmentation - you can't go from here
to there - it is confusing." This group also stated that "the scope of
the Presidio is too big of a problem."
4) The Museum and History Group had a strong sense of the
Presidio as a lived Army experience, and also of the role of hierarchy
and ritual in military life. This group stressed the geopolitical "big
picture" in the founding and expansion of the post. They advocated
a major museum at the Presidio.
5) The Presidio Tenants Group saw the park in its present state and
sensed that the park/post is historic and wanted more historical
interpretation. There was a sense of a new community evolving here.
12 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSI
6) The Presidio Interpreter Focus Group also had specific
knowledge and gave concrete suggestions regarding essential
elements to be included in the visitor interpretive experience.
The focus group participants provided valuable input about the visitor
interpretive experience at the Presidio and began the process of
organizing the multitude of stories associated with the site.
Appendix B of this report contains a list of focus group participants and
summarizes the participants' input.
Presidio Stories 13
PRESIDIO
SYMPOSIUM DESCRIPTION
The Presidio Stories Symposium was a three-day event, which was held
April 13-15, 2000. The main sessions were held at the Golden Gate Club
(Building 135), at the Main Post of the Presidio. The format of the
Symposium included speeches and presentations, facilitated plenary
sessions, which were graphically recorded, and facilitated small,
interdisciplinary working groups.
In addition to the sessions held at the Golden Gate Club, Symposium
attendees participated in a field tour of the Presidio, an evening
reception, and had the option to participate in events held in San
Francisco, such as trips to Alcatraz and Point Bonka Lighthouse.
Approximately 60 people attended the Symposium. The attendees are
experts in their fields, and comprised a diverse and knowledgeable group,
including historians, artists, community activists, ecologists, museum
professionals, and educators.
14 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSI
KEY PRESENTATIONS OF THE SYMPOSIUM
There were many informative presentations given during the Presidio
Stories Symposium. This report contains brief summaries of the key
points of the speeches. Full transcriptions of most of the speeches are
available in Appendix A of the report
Amy Meyer
Member of the Presidio Trust Board of Directors
Amy Meyer gave introductory comments on Thursday, April 13, with a
speech entided "Interpretation at the Presidio: A Presidio Trust
Perspective." Ms. Meyer began her speech with a description of the
Presidio as a "palimpsest," a tablet that has been written on several times,
and imperfectly erased, so that traces of earlier images are still visible.
The idea of die Presidio as a palimpsest carried through the Symposium,
and helped to feed ideas about Presidio stories and themes.
Ms. Meyer gave a history of the Presidio over the last thirty years,
including the efforts to save the Golden Gate for public use and die
subsequent creation of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Her
speech also emphasized the unique and special qualities of the Presidio,
and asked the Symposium participants to help to "shape an image of the
Presidio that is multi-faceted and yet readily understandable."
Presidio Stories 15
PRESIDIO
John Reynolds
Regional Director of the Pacific West Region of the National
Park Service
John Reynolds also presented introductory comments on the morning of
Thursday, April 13. Mr. Reynolds' speech gave a brief history of the
Presidio as part of the National Park System, and accentuated the
Presidio as "a place of national, cultural and military significance of the
highest order."
Additionally, Mr. Reynolds asked the Symposium participants to use their
vision to create a direction for the park that will include all visitors, and
to "create a link between what is here and the promise to humankind to
use this place not just for secular activities, daily recreation and
entertainment, but for inspiration and hope, for the application of
intellect and creativity that can last beyond our time in the ideals of
future generations."
Rose Ochi
1 hemes must Director of the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations
T t i » Service
include the haste
Also on Thursday, Rose Ochi delivered a moving speech on the subject
C0T6 Principles liPOtl of Inclusive Interpretation, or telling all of the stories. Ms. Ochi
explained that as director of the federal government's race relations arm,
which ihiS COUfltTV sne nas a s P ec ^ interest in advancing the sentiments and trends that can
affect diverse racial and ethnic communities in this country. Following
WClS foMTldcdt tne Symposium's theme of telling stories, Ms. Ochi told the story of how
Manzanar, a former internment camp for Japanese Americans during
CqUdiiiy World War II, became a part of the National Park System. Ms. Ochi's
speech also emphasized that in considering the future of the Presidio, it is
Opportunity Utld important to consider ways that the National Park System could be more
relevant to all ethnic groups, particularly minorities, which generally have
fdif" plctV," a l° w participation rate in the National Parks. One of the most
important messages in Ms. Ochi's speech is that "whether developing
themes for the Presidio Trust, or interpreting all stories, developing
integrating themes must include the basic core principles upon which this
country was founded: equality, opportunity, and fair play."
16 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Robert G. Stanton
Director of the National Park Service
On Friday, April 14, Director Robert G. Stanton delivered a speech
entitled "National Parks in the Twenty-First Century." Director Stanton
discussed the role of the National Park Service as caretakers of a nation's
heritage, as well as having the responsibility to tell the full Stories of
America's special places, which symbolize much of what is valued about
this country. Mr. Stanton also identified the role of the National Park
Service at the Presidio "to tell the story of this place in all its varied parts
for those who come here from down the street or around the world.
The telling of that story is what we call interpretation." Interpretation is
integral to the National Park System, since it fosters the understanding
that makes preservation possible. Director Stanton also lauded the
effective partnership between the National Park Service and the Presidio
Trust in making the Presidio of San Francisco a sustainable national park.
Presidio Stories 17
PRESIDIO
Jim Meadows
Director of the Presidio Trust
On Wednesday, April 12, at an evening reception at Trust House,
Executive Director Jim Meadows welcomed the Symposium participants.
Mr. Meadows noted that while many people see the Presidio Trust as a
real estate operation, it is truly a preservation organization. The
purpose of the Trust is to responsibly preserve the Presidio as a national
park in perpetuity.
On Friday, April 14, the concluding day of the Symposium, Mr.
Meadows sketched the economic realities involved in converting the
Presidio from an Army post to a national park. He then outlined the
respective roles of the Presidio Trust and the National Park Service in
meeting the challenge of converting the Presidio of San Francisco from a
military post to a national park. He presented a series of complementary
pairs of strengths and values that each organization brings to this task:
National Park Service Presidio Trust
Great Traditions Fresh Perspectives
Knowledge Based New Technologies
Planning Funding
Concepts.. Implementation
National Focus Presidio Focus
Mr. Meadows indicated that the two organizations' strengths, when
combined in partnership, could achieve what neither organization could
do by itself.
18 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYM POSIUT
Carey Feierabend
Planning Manager of the Presidio Trust
Ms. Feierabend used a slideshow to present a virtual tour of the Presidio,
highlighting many of the Presidio's main features, such as the Main Post,
Letterman Complex, Calvary Stables, the Golden Gate Bridge and Fort
Point. Additionally, the presentation noted many of the Presidio
resources, such as historic sites, ecological resources, recreation areas and
places to live. After the slideshow, Symposium participants went on the
field tour of the Presidio, visiting many of the sites that Ms. Feierabend
had discussed. Following are examples of slides from the presentation.
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Presidio Stories 19
PRESIDIO
PRESIDIO FIELD TOUR
On Thursday, April 13, symposium participants took a bus tour of the
Presidio, visiting nine areas of the park. Participants were provided with a
Field Tour Workbook, which provided information about each of the sites
as well as space to record observations, impressions, and ideas for future
interpretive programs and activities.
This map illustrates the nine stops on the Presidio bus tour.
/-, . ....
'io Tour Stops
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20 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Symposium participants discussed their impressions of the Presidio tout
and made suggestions for interpretation and the visitor experience at a
plenary session held immediately after the tour.
The following section provides a brief description of each site and
highlights from the discussions and ideas inspired by each of these
unique resources. 1
Unifying concepts that apply to many or all of the sites include:
Preservation and reuse at the Presidio
Military history and societal implications
Interaction of the built and natural environments
Experiences of all cultures
Oral/video history projects: helping people tell their own stories 1
Significance of volunteerism |
Spectacular views 1
Symposium attendees during the
mid tours of the Presidio.
fcv*r
Presidio Stories 21
PRESIDIO
rf>
Buildings 36 (above) and SO. the
Officers' Club (belouj, are among
the hi stone buildings on the Main
Post.
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Main Post
Site Description
The Main Post is the heart of the Presidio of San Francisco, taking
visitors back through 200 years of military history, beginning with the El
Presidio site in 1776. Its unique concentration of US military architecture
— from the 1820s to recent times — includes resources such as the
Officers' Club (1820s, 1934 & 1972), Montgomery Street Barracks
(1890s), Chapel of Our Lady (1864, 1952 & 1970s), Funston Avenue
Officers' Row (1862), and Post Office (1900). Other landmarks include
Pershing Square, the flagpole, and the two Parade Grounds. Today,
buildings at the Main Post are leased to tenants, such as those in the film
and technology industries. The Main Post also houses the Presidio
Visitor Center, continuing its tradition as the area's "community center."
Impressions
Those who visited the Main Post recognized the importance of the
historical resources at the site, particularly its connection to US military
history. Many also felt that the Presidio should integrate the experiences
of various ethnic groups, such as the Ohlone. Suggestions for providing
such interpretation included: oral history kiosks, walking tours with
audiotapes, continued archeological research, and a library/museum.
Participants also suggested using the parade grounds for recnacting
traditional military ceremonies, and for concerts, film festivals, and other
activities. To improve the historic feel of the Main Post, it was also
suggested that parking and traffic be diverted elsewhere. The Officers'
Club, with its excellent views of the Presidio, was cited as a good location
for a new museum.
22 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Letterman Complex
Site Description
Founded in 1898 during the Spanish- American War, the Letterman
Complex provided medical services to military personnel and their
families into the 1990s. Many Presidio visitors who served in the Army ^^
have a direct link with this facility, once the largest military hospital in
the West. The Letterman Complex is a gateway to the Presidio, adjacent |jj||
to the main park entrance at the Lombard Street Gate. The site also
features views of the 1915 Palace of Fine Arts, Victorian Officers'
quarters on O'Reilly Avenue, and World War I warehouses on Gorgas
Avenue. The Old Letterman Hospital and outbuildings, dating from Hll
1 900-1 924, have been partially rehabilitated for new uses. The Thoreau |||||
Center at the complex houses approximately 50 non-profit organizations ™™
and is a model of sustainable design. A digital arts center has been
proposed for the 23-acre former Letterman Army Medical Center and
Research Institute site.
*'-'i'''- ,; ' ■.... - :. : "•"■ •
LMimuan Army M.edkal
Cl hi I,
Impressions
While visitors were taken with the mission and innovative design of the
Thoreau Center, they suggested making the displays more prominent,
including more photographs and visual displays, and providing more
information about the resident non-profit groups and trumpeting their
accomplishments. The Thoreau Center provides a link to the history of
medicine at Letterman through its commitment to social change and as
an example of how partnerships between government, the private sector,
and citizens have evolved over time. Letterman's contributions to the
annals of medicine could be highlighted through a museum display and
oral histories. Such an exhibit should integrate the contributions of
women — without setting women's history apart from the whole. The
existing historic photographs are an excellent resource on the history of
medicine at Letterman, and can be complemented with new graphic
presentation techniques and films. The Presidio's connection to the
digital arts provides a unique opportunity to create innovative displays.
• •
Presidio Stories 23
PRESIDIO
Crissy Shoreline
Site Description
Once a Native American gathering place, the Crissy Shoreline has long
been a center of recreational activity at the Presidio. The site features the
Golden Gate Promenade, a 2.5-milc walk along the bay shore with
dramatic views of San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the
Presidio. The shoreline also provides premier boardsaiiing opportunities.
The Crissy Shoreline is an excellent example of environmental
. . restoration, with a recreated marsh and native plant restoration at
beaches and dunes. 1.1 le Cussy Field (.enter, a community environmental
education center, provides an important link to the natural history of the
Presidio area.
Impressions
The progress and mission of the restoration project impressed tour
participants. Through its community partnerships, the project has been
, 4Kk much more than an environmental restoration. It fulfills the Park Service
mandate to protect resources and to educate the public, and is a unique
example of how the built and natural environments can coexist
harmoniously. In particular, the contribution of community volunteers
■ has been outstanding. The names of volunteers should be documented
so that future generations can recognize these contributions. Participants
also felt that the cultural resources of the site should be highlighted
further, suggesting that descendants of the Ohlone Yelamu tribe be
consulted in developing the visitor center and the Crissy Center. Also
Two viem of the restored Crim> through the Center, Crissy Shoreline can become an "outdoor
shoreline, including the wetlands. classroom" for children to learn about environmental stewardship.
24 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Crissy Airfield
Site Description
Crissy Airfield contributed to the development of air transport, both
military and civilian, during aviation's pioneering days in the 1920s and
30s. Crissy Field witnessed several aviation firsts, such as the "Dawn to
Dusk" transcontinental flight and the first flight around the world.
During World War II, Crissy Airfield was the site of the Military
Intelligence Service Japanese Language School. Today, the historic
airfield has been restored for interpretive purposes, and connects to the
Golden Gate Promenade/San Francisco Bay Trail, with its scenic views
of San Francisco and the 1915 Palace of Fine Arts. Buildings at the site
host the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, and the State
of the World Forum.
Impressions
The airfield witnessed great technological leaps in aviation. Crissy Airfield
can be used to highlight advances in technology, and could host trade
shows and exhibits on the newest technologies. The connection with the
language school provides an opportunity to present the history of
Japanese-American soldiers during World War II. Building 640 was
suggested as a site for "quiet reflection" on the Japanese American
experience. Oral histories of Japanese Nisei who served at the Presidio
would also provide a moving narrative of how they contributed to the
war effort, even as their families were held in internment camps.
Presidio Stories 25
PRESIDIO
Fort Scott
Site Description
Situated near the gun batteries of the coastal bluffs, Fort Winfield Scott
was established in 1912 as a "post within the post" to serve as
headquarters for the Coastal Artillery Corps in the San Francisco Bay
Area. This site is known for role it played in coastal defense. Fort Scott
is also notable for its architecture. The first Mission Revival style
buildings of the Presidio characterize the fort, and its U-shaped parade
ground breaks from the traditional rectangular design. Nearby
environmental resources of interest include a planted forest from 1882, a
native plant nursery, and coastal bluffs with native vegetation.
Impressions
Fort Scott provides an opportunity to examine the history of coastal
defense. In particular, some participants felt the theme, "200 years of
fear," would resonate at an interpretive center here. Participants also
reacted positively to the efforts planned for the Presidio Institute.
Through such an organization, activities at Fort Scott could provide a
deeper level of analysis and thinking than presentations at the main
visitors' center. For example, the center could focus on the philosophical
implications of war, and how war has shaped technological and social
histories. Another suggestion focused on present day implications of war
— the decommissioning of military posts and their conversion to civilian
use.
26 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUP
Fort Point
Site Description
In 1794, the Spanish cut down the bluff at Fort Point to build EI Castillo
de San Joaquin, and outfitted it with 1 3 brass cannons. By the Civil War, a
newly constructed brick fort guarded the Golden Gate from the point,
but it was subsequendy replaced by gun batteries on the bluffs and
underwater mines. Today, the Fort offers spectacular views of the world-
renowned Golden Gate Bridge, constructed between 1934 and 1937, and
across the Golden Gate to the Marin headlands. It is also a popular
destination for surfing, fishing, jogging, and other recreational activities.
Impressions
The Golden Gate Bridge attracts tourists from all over the world and is a
famous international icon. A film, slide show, or kiosk at the main visitor
center would be an appropriate interpretive medium for this site, with
additional written material that visitors could take with them. Oral
histories might highlight the significance of the Golden Gate Bridge to
international visitors. The plaza roundhouse is an ideal location for an
interpretive facility. The juxtaposition of Fort Point and the Golden Gate
is interesting because one is a barrier to entry, while the other is a portal
into the United States. The bridge has created an important connection
in many ways, partnering business and government interests during
construction, connecting San Francisco to Marin, and today, bringing
visitors together from around the world.
Fort Point and the Golden Gate Bridge
Presidio Stories 27
PRESIDIO
Baker Beach
Site Description
Baker Beach faces the vast Pacific Ocean and provides panoramic views
of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands, and Lands End. The
sandy beach, rocky shoreline, and the bluffs above harbor some of the
most intact natural habitat at the Presidio. Battery Chambcrlin (1902)
contains a small museum and a "disappearing" gun that is demonstrated
one weekend a month. Baker Beach also attracts recreational uses, such
as picnicking and hiking along the California Coastal Trail.
impressions
Participants were impressed with the group participation in the raising of
the gun, and supported maintaining and rehabilitating the gum batteries.
The batteries could be opened over time to show visitors. The present
exhibition battery could be tied into the general theme of the impact of
"war on society. Some batteries could also be rehabilitated and used for
archival/ storage purposes. Although relevant to the history of coastal
defense, other sites may be more appropriate for a coastal defense
museum.
S>;
. ; ; ' '"■'..^■' : -r-:';'y -• ■/-'. - ."'■'.' '^^v "': ' ;V .. ; ;. '>'-V- '- : \ ; : "V : '.■^y : : ;; : : i: "
Coaxial scrub dunes at Baker Beach,
28 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYM POSI
Lobos Creek Valley
Site Description
The Lobos Creek Valley is an important natural resource at the Presidio.
Lobos Creek is the last free-flowing stream in San Francisco and is the
Presidio's water source. Oak woodland riparian habitat supports a variety
of plant, animal and bird species. And, thanks to recent volunteer work,
native plant communities with rare and endangered plants species have
been restored in the area. An accessible boardwalk built from recycled
plastic provides opportunities for people to get close to sensitive habitat.
Impressions
The Lobos Creek Valley is yet another excellent example of volunteer
commitment to the Presidio which should be highlighted. Interpretation
of biological resources would be provided best by docent-led walks and
self-guided tours, with signs for plant names and descriptions. The values
of biodiversity should be emphasized, potentially in the context of
cultural diversity. For example, delineate how Native Americans have
valued biodiversity, It was also suggested that the "natural landscape"
theme be taken throughout the park, with native plantings incorporated
at historic sites.
/• V-- --vV-V" : • ■■■■■■:
•; •.■: •>.■. ■" . ;• '- ■■;-■'■■:.. •-■
fcf. >■«
The new boardwalk among the restored Lobos Creek dunes.
Presidio Stories 29
PRESIDIO
Inspiration Point
Site Description
Prior to the planting of the historic forest, Inspiration Point was
characterized by sweeping views of San Francisco Bay. Under a plan
envisioned by Major W.A. Jones, the Army, starting in 1883, planted
trees "to crown the ridges, border the boundary fences, and cover major
areas of sand and marsh waste." The forest acted as a windbreak,
beautified the post, and visually emphasized the separation between
Army and city lands. Recent selective tree removals have reopened some
view corridors. Tree removals also allowed for expansion of the
serpentine grassland native plant community. Inspiration Point connects
to recreational trails, including the Bay Area Ridge Trail and the Ecology
Trail.
Impressions
The dedication of volunteers has been instrumental in environmental
restoration at this site. To show others how much has changed, a section
of asphalt parking lot or remnant of the built environment should be left
in place. Symposium participants also suggested providing identification
signs to describe views and their historical significance, as well as
improved orientation.
Existing interpretive signs at Inspiration Point.
30 Interpretation and Visitor Expe
rience
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PRESIDIO STORIES SYMPOSIUM
PLENARY SESSION
13 April 2000
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
INTERDISCIPLINARY WORKING GROUPS
During the Symposium, participants broke into interdisciplinary working
groups to discuss two items central to the Symposium: unifying themes
for the Presidio, and ways to tell the Presidio stories.
There were five groups with approximately 12-15 participants in each
group. The groups consisted of people with different areas of expertise
to ensure that each group would have a diverse range of backgrounds
and ideas. Symposium participants took part in facilitated working
group discussions on Friday, April 14 and they presented the results of
their discussions at the closing session on Saturday, April 1 5.
The wall graphics from the facilitated discussions are available at
www.presidiotrust.gov. Following are the main ideas from each of the
group working sessions.
As you discuss the future of the Presidio
Trust and the National Parks in the next
century, you need to be bold> you need to
be honest, in creating a system that tells
all the stories,
-Rose Ochi
Presidio Stories 31
PRESIDIO
■y $m&
Group A
Group A introduced many key themes of the Presidio, including:
The importance of maintaining a sense of place
The Presidio as a place of healing
A self-sufficient entity
A gateway
200 Years of Fear
Preservation of memories
A catalyst for ideas and exchange of ideas
Many conflicting/ overlaying stories
The Presidio as a place for social exchange to take place
This group also presented the idea of the Presidio stories as columns
through time, which can be opened and the individual layers examined.
Other important ideas that this group developed were the importance of
interactive technologies at the Presidio, including interactive kiosks with
links to information, and links to the Presidio on the internet. These
technologies can be used to help visitors understand the stories of the
Presidio, as well as develop and tell their own stories.
Mtwhers of Group A
32 interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUT
Group B
Group B developed a unifying concept for the Presidio:
The Presidio of San Francisco is a place where visitors will go
on a journey to discover the continuing biological and social
evolution of the humanity and the evolution of various flora,
fauna and ecosystems. The layers of this journey unfold
through the history and many voices that inhabit the area.
Processes or programs that engage people will be implemented
to facilitate this journey.
This group identified the need to develop a mission statement for the
Presidio, which incorporated the themes of biological resources, cultural
resources, and evolution. Additionally, this group brought forth the idea
of an orientation and interpretive center, which "would serve the purpose
of facilitating discover}' for visitors to the Presidio.
Kiosks throughout the Presidio could feature internet connections
hyperlinking to offer all applicable narratives, such as the stories of
ecology, the Ohlone, and the U.S. Army. The kiosks will allow users to
dig deeper into their personal experiences, continue learning, keep
coming back, and continue to develop a growing affection for the area.
Additionally, members of Group B generated the idea of scavenger
hunts, which will allow visitors to get to know the park, and different
hunts can be organized according to the interests of the visitors.
Group B presented the idea of hands-on research participatory programs.
Many discovery activities were also presented, including ceremonies and
rituals, a Fort Mason-like cultural center, audio and video tours, CD-
ROM interactive activities, a Presidio quest, and an opportunity for
visitors to "imagine themselves in history."
An additional component of the Presidio experience that this group
presented was that of enhanced circulation and wayfinding throughout
the park, through an internal shuttie loop that would connect die far-
flung features of the park.
*«
«■
I..J/M H.exrer, Group H iacUitato
and recorder.
Mewbers of Group B
nn'i*.;';ris of'te/-^ l J re.
__ ____a
idio stories.
Presidio Stories 33
PRESIDIO
Group C
Group C brought forward the overall themes of building trust and
building communities, creating a sense of place, and engendering
stewardship to care for the land and the people as integral processes of
telling the Presidio stories.
Group C presented a variety of ideas regarding the visitor experience and
interpretation. Some of the major concepts that emerged were: the
Presidio as a storied place, the connectivity and complexity of the
Presidio, and the Presidio site as it developed through history. The idea
of "the Presidio through time" was also suggested.
This group also brainstormed man;' different ways to tell the Presidio
stories. One important idea that emerged is the connection between the
virtual world and the physical world when telling the Presidio stories.
Pre- and post- visits are possible through virtual means.
Group C presented community involvement as an essential part of the
Presidio experience, in terms of involving everyone in telling their stories.
Some key principles of telling the Presidio stories are:
• Emphasize the value of local stewardship
• Use technology, don't be ruled by it
• Establish a governance structure that recognizes all key facets of the
Presidio
• Develop a process that connects all of the people involved with the
Presidio
• Provide staff development activities to all Presidio tenants
Sgs
34 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Group D
Group D presented the idea that Presidio stories can .<>-#"' V '^'Tc>' < ! «^
be told in a variety of ways. During the telling of the _ ^-~~-~~""~"
stories, there are threads of interpretation and W "**■•
, . , . , .... / ^mmm^,
unexpected twists which can surprise the visitor. ±#w-a~
Additionally, the idea was presented that nature,
culture and history are all linked, and that the Presidio „„ "**
serves as a y-atewav to and a link between these themes. *T$&-*5&, '-;■■ '- f&^£aa&1&s
It is important that the visitor experience at the -r~ ■' x . ^' y^<r<#3?
•^-^^-;
^•^^T!
Presidio include the linkages between these themes.
g & \W#if~
When telling the stories of the Presidio, important links include: the
Pacific Frontier, the Presidio as a Sentinel, crossroads, multicultural
stories and journeys. Additionally, the Presidio is a place of
reconciliation, change and continuity, transformation, and new
beginnings.
This group connected the visitor experience to the ideas of Change and
Continuity, and to transparent la3^ers of history. This theme could be
developed through interactive media, with layers added or changed to
reflect individual visitor interests.
Another theme that this group presented is that of Conflict and
Transformation. Over time, the Presidio has been a place of many
different types of transformations, such as transformations of landscape,
changes in populations, and changes in consciousness. These
transformations are an important part of the Presidio visitor experience,
as are the conflicts that occurred over time.
Presidio Stories 35
PRESIDIO
¥*Y
swift&jiteMrf
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Group E
This group developed many themes for the Presidio visitor interpretive
experience. One important theme is the acknowledgement of the native
people of the area. It is important to communicate to the visitor that the
Ohlone people were at the Presidio and the community continues into
the present.
Additional key concepts for the visitor experience are those of building
communities, partnership, environment, and history (not just the last 250
years) .
Ideas for enhancing the visitor experience and allowing for stories to be
told include:
Use personal stories to tell the larger story
Use a variety of events to draw people to the park, such as links with
various historical events
Provide places for eating and drinking
Open the Officers' Club to the public
Compile an oral history, and encourage visitors to contribute to it
Provide an integrated timeline
Develop and follow guidelines for lessees and tenants
Some key components of the visitor experience include:
Stories as links and touchstones, which will direct visitors to other
stories
Orientation and wayfinding
Directions and links to other sites
Pre-visit information
Transportation to and within the Presidio
Provide visuals and maps to support interpretive information
Provide take-away information
Layered information to reach various people
36 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
THE PRESIDIO STORIES
Key Concepts
An overall goal of the Presidio Stones Symposium was to gather input on
unifying concepts for the Presidio which will help to address diverse
visitor experiences and tell the stories of the Presidio in a compelling
manner.
It became apparent during the Symposium that the Presidio is an
extremely complex entity, and that much of its value is inherent in its
complexity and diversity. As a result, Symposium participants came to
the conclusion that it is difficult to develop a single unifying concept for
the Presidio visitor experience. However, many ideas emerged as being -p., ••, w f,,^-,, f%gM Cmhr &s
integral to the visitor experience and interpretation of the Presidio. S€gn acnm /f> e restored wetlands.
These ideas are different from stories in that they are larger, overarching
concepts, whereas stories are focused on more specific aspects of the
Presidio. This is a dynamic list of concepts, and is not a complete list.
During the process of planning for the Presidio, the list will surely change
and grow.
Key concepts that emerged from the Presidio Stories Symposium (in no
particular order) include:
• Environmental, social and cultural challenges: The complexity of
the Presidio presents many challenges, but also diverse opportunities
for the visitor experience.
• Stewardship: One of the main goals for the Presidio is to engage the
public in the stewardship and preservation of the park's history and
ecology.
• Sustainability: The Presidio is becoming a model of environmental,
cultural and financial sustainability.
• Moving from conflict towards consensus: Though the Presidio
has been associated with war and conflict for the past two centuries,
the transfer to the National Park Service ended the Presidio's military
role, moving it into a new era of civilian service.
• Reconciliation: The Presidio is an integral part of the San Francisco
urban heritage. It represents a forum for diverse groups to work
together for a better future.
Presidio Stories 37
PRESIDIO
• Transformation, change and continuity: The landscape,
population and uses of the Presidio have changed over time, yet the
site has remained a place of tremendous beauty and resources.
o Complexity and diversity: Complexity and diversity are core
strengths of the Presidio. These assets should be embraced to create
a more complete visitor experience for a range of visitors.
• Palimpsest, or layers history through time: The Presidio has many
1 he wew ofStffi ¥rancisco Bay across stories that build upon and are strengthened by connections to
Cnssy riem. previous eras and generations.
• Past - ^ Present -^ Future: The Presidio represents the past but is
also relevant to today's community and will be significant for future
generations.
• Building communities and community involvement: The future
of the Presidio will help to strengthen communities within the
Presidio and nearby. Community involvement and volunteerism are
essentia] to the future of the Presidio.
• Partnerships: In order to best utilize the resources available within
the Presidio, it is essential to form partnerships with community
groups, as well as to maintain the strong partnership between the
National Park Service and the Presidio Trust.
• Crossroads: Today, the Presidio is facing different types of
crossroads: social, physical, cultural and economic. The convergence
of these crossroads may be utilized to create the interpretive
experience at the Presidio.
• Gateway: The Presidio is a gateway to the Pacific Ocean, to the Bay,
and to the United States.
• Sense of place: To be a successful National Park, it is essential to
convey a sense of place and identity at the Presidio.
• Place of beauty: The Presidio is a site of incomparable beauty, with
unique natural, historic and cultural resources, as well as inspiring
views of the Bay Area.
• Environment: The Presidio is home to a diverse ecosystem, with
rare and endangered species and valuable natural resources. Habitat
restoration is underway throughout the Park.
38 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Unique national park: The Presidio is unique within the National
Park System. It is the only Park that will be financially self-sufficient.
It can make a new role for a National Park by creating a global center
dedicated to the world's most critical environmental, social and
cultural challenges.
Preservation: This concept encompasses both the preservation of
the valuable resources that are present at the Presidio, as well as
preserving the visitor experience for future generations.
Survival and resilience: Historically, the people of the Presidio
have demonstrated strength and resilience. The Presidio will
continue to have a strong atmosphere and presence in the future
Renewal and new beginnings: The Presidio is moving in new
directions, socially, culturally, physically and economically. This time
of renewal for the Presidio represents an opportunity to repair the
natural environment so that it exists in harmony with the built
environment.
Accessibility: To create a fulfilling experience, the experiences and
opportunities at the Presidio must be accessible to a diverse range of
visitors.
Park Ripper Maroaret Styles commenting on the historic photos in the
Thoremi Center.
Presidio Stories 39
PRESIDIO
Presidio Stories
During the Symposium participants worked together to identify the most
1 u€ I TCSlUlO DCtS (Ml meaningful stories embodied in the vast Presidio resources. As a result,
participants generated a myriad of interesting and diverse stories that the
dfUdZlflg $€fl$€ Of interpretative experience at the Presidio should convey to the visitor.
pldCe y Cl/lltUTe Ctnd Most of the stories that were suggested fell into five major categories:
idetltity With l ■ Military History. Military history is an integral component of the
Presidio, and there are many military stories to be told as part of the
WOUdefful Stories visitor experience. Additionally, many of the military stories provide
links to other stories at the Presidio.
and legacy.
2. Crossroads of Culture. Throughout history, the Presidio has acted
as a cultural gateway, both physically and socially. This category
illustrates the role of the different cultures associated with the
Presidio throughout history. Crossroads of culture also includes the
personal stories of the Presidio, and interactions between different
cultures.
3. Restoring Natural Systems. The Presidio is home to diverse
natural resources within the urban setting of San Francisco. The
visitor experience provides an opportunity to foster education and
awareness of species diversity, natural resources and the value of
open space. One of the most unusual and interesting aspects of the
Presidio is how much the natural landscape has changed over time,
and the restoration of the original landscape.
4. Changing Landscapes. The stories in this category describe the
history of human habitation of the Presidio, as well as the interaction
between people and the natural and built environments.
5. Transformation: The Presidio: From Post to Park. This category
encompasses the continuing story of the Presidio, including the
future or "the next chapter" for the Presidio. Additionally, the
process of the transformation from military use to national park is
included in this category.
These categories are not mutually exclusive. Many of the stories are
complex and are included in more than one category. Additionally, the
40 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Presidio Stories list is dynamic, and will receive further attention as the
Park Service and the Trust, with community partners, develop plans to
enhance the visitor experience and interpretation.
Symposium participants discussed several important components for
telling the Presidio stories. These include:
• The place — the location in the Presidio where the story can be
integrated as part of the visitor experience.
• The program — the provision of the visitor experience. Examples of
the program might be an activity, a class, a display or a cultural event.
Many of the suggestions for programs are educational, such as
holding learning programs for children and adults, or cultural, such as
reenacting a historical event.
• The medium — the method of communication through which the
visitor learns about the Presidio stories. Examples of media include
audio tours, interactive kiosks and ranger-led programs.
The following section discusses the stories within each of the five major
categories.
*>
-ill
Vmhing Square and the post flagpole on the Main
Parade Ground,
Presidio Stories 4 1
PRESIDIO
Presidio military cemetery.
Military History
The Presidio is known for its rich historical background and resources.
Since 1776, the Presidio bears a distinctive military history, as one of the
longest continuously operating military posts in the country, occupied by
Spain, Mexico and the United States.
The stories that emerged from the Presidio Stories Symposium indicate
that much of the military history of the Presidio is interconnected with
the natural environment, as well as cultural resources. Stories that relate
to preserving military history include the following:
Spanish Military/ Spanish
Colonialism
Mexican Military
Military culture at the
Presidio including
continuous military use, and
the military's role in
preservation
Changing functional role of
the military throughout
history
First American Military
Occupation
Bear Flag
Coastal Defense
Aviation and army airfield
Military Medicine
Buffalo Soldiers
Japanese American Story,
including Language School,
internment, the link to Angel
Island, evolution of attitudes
toward Asian peoples
Base Closure
Veterans' Stories
Rituals and Ceremonies
Pacific Expansion
Coast Guard
1906 Earthquake
Indian Wars
Mexican American War
Civil War: Fort Point and
California's role in the Civil
War
Spanish American War
Siberian Intervention
World War I
World War II
Korean War-
Vietnam War
Cold War
Persian Gulf War
42 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Crossroads Of Culture
One of the recurring themes of the Presidio Stories Symposium was that
of telling the stories of the people associated with the Presidio, as well as
giving visitors to the Presidio the opportunity to share their own personal
stories, and thus become part of the interpretive experience.
Additionally, the Presidio is unique because it has served as a gateway for
many different cultures, and many different populations have interacted
within the context of the Presidio.
Following arc some of the main cultural stories to be shared as part of
the Presidio visitor interpretive experience.
Native Peoples:
continuing and evolving
story
DeAnza Expedition
Spanish Soldiers
Mission Indians
Calif ornios
Explorers
Western Expansion/
Gold Rush
Sea Exploration, trade
and the San Francisco
Harbor
Yankee Migration
Peruvians
Sonorans
African-Americans
Chinese
Japanese
Panama-Pacific
International Exposition
Cultural change,
including evolution of
cultures, diversity of
cultures, and evolving
values regarding diversity
People from different
regions of the United
States
Pacific Basin
Europeans
South Americans
Filipinos
Hawaiians
People from
different cultural
communities should
be involved in
telling their own
stories and histories.
Presidio Stories 43
PRESIDIO
': V :'X
View west over Crissy Field to
the Golden Gate
Restoring Natural Systems
The Presidio is home to diverse natural resources within the urban
setting of San Francisco. The visitor experience provides an opportunity
to foster education and awareness of species diversity, natural resources
and the value of open space. Many of the stories involve this theme of
the Presidio's natural environment and resources.
Some of the major natural environment stories that emerged at the
Presidio Stories Symposium are:
Geology
Original Environment:
- Dunes and Scrub
- Serpentine Grasslands
- Original Environment of
the Presidio
- Salt water and fresh water
- Riparian areas
Human Impacts on the
Natural Environment
Restoration Process
Evolving Environmental
Values
Climate: weather and fog
Golden Gate
1880s Forestation
Crissy Marsh
Lobos Creek
Mountain Lake
Vegetation Management
Plan
Endangered Species
Birds
Ecology
El Polin Spring
Water Systems, including
wedands, the Pacific Ocean
and the Bay
44 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Changing Landscapes
The rare and beautiful setting of the Presidio contributes to its value as a
unique national park. The Presidio is known as the guardian of the
Golden Gate, and through history it has served as a physical and cultural
port of entry, and a gateway to the settlement of the west coast. The
following are stories that relate to the cultural landscape and the physical
environment of the Presidio.
■■'■lyii : ^,p:
City Planning/ Human
Habitation
Archaeological History
Native Peoples
Spanish/ Mexican
Occupation
El Presidio
How the site and the
environment shaped
historical development
Relationship to the City of
San Francisco
Cemeteries (Ohlone burial
sites, National Cemetery,
Merchant Marine Cemetery,
Pet Cemetery)
Coastal Defense System
Architecture and site design
Changing landscape
Panama-Pacific International
Exposition
National Historic Landmark
Architectural History
Buildings
Roads
Fortifications
Land planning (from the
past, to the present, to the
future)
Doyle Drive
Golden Gate Bridge
(technology and
communications)
Golf Course
Recreation Areas
Restored landscape, Thoreau Center
(old Lerterman Hospital)
Presidio Stories 45
PRESIDIO
Transformation: The Presidio from Post to Park
This category encompasses the future of the Presidio. As previously
mentioned, the Presidio is unique in its transition from the longest
continuously used military post in the country to a National Park.
Symposium participants suggested many story ideas, which capture this
transformation.
Managing an Urban Park
'Tost to Park": Saving
the Presidio and making
an urban park
Process of transforming
into a National Park
(political and legislative
history)
History and reasons for
the transformation
The New Presidio
Community
Tenants
Sustainability
• Community based
stewardship, ownership
and participation
• Evolving an unfinished
story
• Tourism
• Museums
• Visitor Feedback
• Recreational Programs
• Residential Uses
• Economic Self-
Sufficiency
• Golden Gate National
Parks Association
The transformation from a military post is
an important part of the visitor experience.
46 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSI
NEXT STEPS
The Presidio Stories Symposium served as a primary milestone in the
process of developing and enhancing the visitor experience and
interpretation at the Presidio. It was organized through the partnership of
the National Park Service and Presidio Trust, as well as many community
participants. The concepts and themes that came out of the Symposium
will be developed through the same kind of partnership process.
Next steps in refining and implementing these concepts include a work
session to review the stories and themes developed at the Symposium,
held August 23, 2000, and a public workshop to review the results, held
October 4, 2000. Results from these sessions are given in the next
section. In addition, this report will be provided to the Symposium
participants, and will help to maintain the dialogue among all the
partners.
Through the primary partnership of the NPS and the Trust the Presidio
Interpretive Plan will be developed. Both short-term and long-term goals
will be noted in this implementation framework, which will identify
opportunities and available resources.
Presidio Stories 47
PRESIDIO
WORK SESSION - AUGUST 23, 2000
On August 23, 2000 the National Park Service and the Presidio Trust
conducted a work session as a follow-up to the Presidio Stories
Symposium that was held in April, 2000. The participants at the Presidio
Stories Symposium in April generated many potential stories to be
included in the Presidio visitor experience. The participants in the follow
up work session built on the work that was done in April, and worked to
consolidate and categorize these stories. A main purpose of the work
session was to prioritize the stories in order to help the National Park
Service and the Presidio Trust to develop an implementation program
over the next several years.
Visitor experience and interpretation are essential elements for any unit
of the National Park Service. The visitor experience at the Presidio is
diverse and varied, due to the complex history, landscape, and resources
of the site. The National Park Service and the Presidio Trust have
undertaken the challenge of developing a new model of interpretation,
education and community outreach for the Presidio of San Francisco.
Approximately 20 people attended this work session. The participants
were from various organizations, including the National Park Service, the
Presidio Trust, the Presidio and Fort Point Historical Association, the
Golden Gate National Parks Association, and the Smithsonian. Howard
Levitt of the NPS gave a brief welcome and introduction and explained
the purpose of the work session. Carey Feierabend of the Presidio Trust
gave a brief slideshow presentation to review the Presidio Stories
Symposium and to give an overview of the connection between the
Presidio Stories process and the Presidio Trust Implementation Plan
(PTIP). Naomi Torres, also of the National Park Service, presented the
interpretive projects that are currently underway at the Presidio. Daniel
Iacofano and Paul Turtle of Moore lacofano Goltsman (M1G) Inc.
facilitated and graphically recorded the work session.
This chapter summarizes the discussion and results of the work session.
The products of the work session included:
Common thematic elements of Presidio stories
Presidio story categories
48 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUI
Criteria for prioritizing stories
Preliminary stories prioritization and suggestions of people
to work on programs for prioritized stories
Photoreductions for the wallgraphics from the work session are available
at www.presidiotrust.gov.
Major Concepts
There are several concepts that are common through much of the
Presidio history, and are represented in many of the Presidio stories that
were generated by Symposium and work session participants. While the
Presidio stories relate to specific events, people, or periods in history,
many of them are encompassed by these larger concepts, that help to tell
the overall story of the Presidio and the people associated with it
throughout history.
The major concepts common to many of the Presidio stories are:
Materials and artifacts
Personal stories
Demographics
Colonialism and imperialism
Technology and communication
Money and power
Presidio Stories 49
PRESIDIO
Presidio Stories
The work session participants reviewed comprehensive lists of the
Presidio stories, and developed five major categories for the stories. This
portion of the meeting was a brainstorming session and provided an
opportunity for the' participants to consider all potential Presidio stories,
before prioritizing the stories for inclusion in the interpretive experience.
Following are the five major categories of Presidio stories, as suggested
by work session participants. An important idea that emerged from the
work session is that all of these categories are related; the stories are
linked to each other within and between categories.
1. Military History. Participants in the work session agreed that
Military history is an integral component of the Presidio, and that
there are many military stories to be told as part of the visitor
experience. Additionally, many of the military stories link to other
stories at the Presidio. Participants also suggested that there could
also be linkages to other NPS and state park sites to tell the military
history stories that are part of the Presidio history. It was also
suggested that while the U.S. Army no longer has jurisdiction over
the Presidio site, they are a vast resource that can be used to help
integrate the military stories as part of the visitor experience.
Crossroads of Culture. Throughout history, the Presidio has acted
as a cultural gateway, both physically and socially. This category
illustrates the role of the different cultures associated with the
Presidio throughout history. Crossroads of culture also includes the
personal stories of the Presidio, and the interactions between
different cultures.
Restoring Natural Systems. The Presidio is home to diverse
natural resources within the urban setting of San Francisco. The
visitor experience provides an opportunity to foster education and
awareness of species diversity, natural resources and the value of
open space. Two of the most unusual and interesting aspects of the
Presidio are how much the natural landscape has changed over time,
and the ongoing restoration of the original landscape.
50 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSI
4. Changing Landscapes. These stories in this category describe the
history of human habitation of the Presidio, as well as the interaction
between people and the natural and built environments.
Transformation: The Presidio from "Post to Park". This
category encompasses the continuing story of the Presidio, including
the future or the "next chapter" for the Presidio. Additionally, the
process of the transformation from military use to a new national
park is included in this category.
Presidio Stories 51
PRESIDIO
Criteria for Prioritization
After determining the major categories of Presidio stories, the work
session participants then began the task of prioritizing the stories. This is
an essential component of creating the visitor interpretive experience at
the Presidio, because the stories that are given high priority will be
included in developing programming for the visitor experience in the
immediate future. Additionally, since all of the Presidio stories are
significant and important, this is a very difficult and complex task.
To assist with the task of prioritizing the Presidio stories, work session
participants developed a list of criteria for stories to receive a high
priority.
1. Significant and compelling story. The story should be interesting
and accessible for a wide range of visitors, and should reflect the
cultural diversity of the visitors as well as of the Presidio history.
2. Available resources. The program to tell the story should maximize
available resources. This includes financial resources as well as
existing programming, artifacts and materials, and staff and
volunteers.
3. Potential funding sources and additional resources. There may
be additional resources available to tell the stories.
4. Unique to the Presidio. It is important to focus on stories that can
only be told at the Presidio, or can be told best at the Presidio.
5. Meets visitor and user needs. The program to tell the story must
meet the needs of a broad range of visitors and users.
6. Effective and functional use of space and time. The program
helps the visitor "make the most" of his or her time at the Presidio.
Utilizing the above criteria and considering the broad categories of
stories, the work session participants then began the task of prioritizing
the Presidio Stories. The meeting participants undertook this task in two
stages; first by creating a list of stories with a high priority, and then
further narrowing the list down. Additionally, the participants suggested
52 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
possible people who would be able to work on creating programs to
include the stories as part of the visitor experience.
Prioritization of the Presidio stories represents an important step forward
in the process of telling the stories. The next step is to develop programs
to tell the stories as part of the Presidio Interpretive Plan. To continue
with the process of developing the visitor interpretive experience for the
Presidio, the National Park Service and the Presidio Trust held a meeting
on October 4, 2000, to present the suggested Presidio Stories to
members of the public. At this meeting, citizens had the opportunity to
comment on the progress of the Presidio Stories, and gave input to the
Presidio visitor interpretive experience. This input will be incorporated
into the Presidio Interpretive Plan.
Presidio Stories 53
PRESIDIO
PUBLIC WORKSHOP - OCTOBER 4, 2000
As part of the continuing process to develop the visitor experience at the
Presidio, the Presidio Trust and National Park Service held a Public
Workshop on October 4, 2000 at the Log Cabin to present the results of
the Stories Symposium and to present the lists of prioritized stories for
inclusion in the visitor experience.
An additional purpose of the meeting was to gather input from the public
to help develop a framework that describes how the various Presidio
stories connect with one another, and where and how the stories can best
be told. The framework will include a prescription — with priorities, a
timeline, and funding options — of actions for the Presidio Trust, the
National Park Service, Presidio tenants and the greater community to
take to enhance Presidio interpretation and the overall visitor experience.
At the workshop, participants confirmed that both the major categories
and the priority stories within each category were appropriate, validating
the work done in the April Symposium and August work session.
The stories at the workshop were presented in the five thematic areas
that emerged from the Presidio Stories Symposium and the follow up
work session in August:
Military History
Crossroads of Culture
■ Restoring Natural Systems
■ Changing Landscapes
■ Transformation: the Presidio from Post to Park
Graphic displays illustrated the location of the stories within the themes,
gave a theme overview and presented brief descriptions of each of the
prioritized stories. A summary of the information contained on each of
the graphic display boards is on the following pages.
54 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
MILITARY HISTORY
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Theme Overview
The Presidio of San Francisco was the "Defender of the Gate" from
1776 to 1994. One of the longest-garrisoned posts in the country, the
Presidio reflects more than 200 years of military history under three flags:
the Spanish empire, the Republic of Mexico, and the United States of
America.
Spanish and Mexican Presidio
When it was established as a "Presidio" or "garrison" by the Spanish in
1775, El Presidio represented the northernmost extension of the Spanish
Empire in California. The Presidio's history is inextricably linked with
that of San Francisco, and its Spanish and Mexican roots can be seen
through archaeological projects, as well as place names and architecture.
Aviation
There are few places in the country that played a more important role
than the Presidio in the rise of military and civil aviation. To this day,
Crissy Field dramatically reveals its aviation history.
Changes in Military Culture
Flags were raised and lowered, officers and enlisted men came and went;
all the while military life and the people who lived it changed dramatically
over 225 years.
Civil War Period
While most people think of the Civil War as an "East of the Mississippi"
conflict, the Presidio played an important but little understood role in
that war. Physical evidence and compelling stories of the Civil War can
be found throughout the Presidio.
History of Military Medicine
From the establishment of Wright General Hospital at the Presidio in
1862 through the Letterman Army Medical Center and Letterman Army
Institute of Research in the 1960's, 70's and 80's, the Presidio was on the
leading edge of military medical research and treatment.
Keenadmmt of a soldier at Fort
Point.
Presidio Stories 55
PRESIDIO
U.S. Army on the Western Frontier and Pacific Expansion
From the Presidio, the U.S. Army carried out campaigns to subdue the
Indians in the west and, beginning with the Spanish- American War, to
project the power of the United States across the Pacific.
Japanese Americans
Two of the most poignant stories of the Presidio are those of the 4 1
Army Intelligence (Japanese Language) School and the Internment of
Japanese-Americans after Pearl Harbor. These stories lead to other
stories about Asian Immigration and attitudes towards Asians.
Japanese classmo/i
56 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
CROSSROADS OF CULTURE
Theme Overview
The Presidio, anchor of the Golden Gate, became a crossroads of
cultures and gateway to immigration and setdement of the West Coast.
The Presidio provides a perfect opportunity for exploring the stories
behind these many journeys. From its prominent position guarding the
harbor, the Presidio has witnessed and played an integral part in the
exploration and settlement of the American West, the rise of San
Francisco and the cultural evolution of central California.
Native Peoples
Before this land became the Presidio, it was within the Aboriginal
homeland of the Yelamu, one of the dozens of politically distinct but
linguistically and culturally related tribes within the territory of Ohlone
peoples. Their land stretched as far south as the Monterey Bay Area.
While there are no known living descendants of the Yelamu, descendants
from die broader Ohlone community are developing a range of public
programs to preserve native archeological sites in the Presidio and
interpret Yelamu and Ohlone history and culture.
Exploration and Colonization
European exploration and Spanish Colonization had a profound
influence on the development of the Presidio and San Francisco itself.
The impacts of colonization still persist in the cultural expressions of
present day California.
Immigration, Migration and Opportunity
Whether one departed Russia to seek a fortune in trade, left home in
search of gold, or crossed the Pacific Ocean to escape the political chaos
of China, many came through the Golden Gate in search of opportunity
and survival.
Cultural Change
Beginning with Native Peoples, the Presidio has been a participant in
cultural change and evolution. The history of the Presidio offers an
opportunity to examine the lessons of cultural and racial prejudices and
the potential rewards of global interdependence.
Presidio Stories 57
PRESIDIO
RESTORING NATURAL SYSTEMS
Theme Overview
otimteeK imm/u^ nr t
In a world of diminishing biological diversity, the Presidio represents an
island of refuge for biological communities in an urban environment.
The park provides an opportunity to foster awareness of the importance
of species diversity, the value of open space, and human stewardship for
natural lands.
Geology
Some of the key stories of the Bay Area's varied geology can be told right
here in the Presidio. The region's most spectacular remnant of greenish
serpentine (our state mineral) dramatically faces the Golden Gate. And
rerforjti'j the Vrcndio's natural nearby one can still walk amidst remnants of ancient sand dunes that
once covered 14 square miles of San Francisco, formed from the melting
glaciers of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Natural Landscape
Over thousands of years the Mediterranean climate and varied
topography of the Presidio landscape resulted in a diverse biology in the
Presidio. Early European scientists were impressed by the diversity of life
they encountered here. Throughout the park one can see remnants of the
mosaic of landscapes that once covered San Francisco.
Human Impacts
The Spanish created a fundamental shift from Ohlone methods of
managing the landscape for subsistence by introducing European grasses
and grazing animals. The urbanization of 90% of the park in the 20 th
century tells a significant story that distinguishes the Presidio from other
national parks.
Restoration and Ecological Values
With its status as a national park the Presidio has entered a new chapter
of human relationship to the land and the biodiversity that survives here.
Every week volunteers young and old from local and global destinations
lend their hands to help restore over 150 acres of native natural areas,
and in so doing directfy participate in the living natural history of the
park.
58 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSI
Plant and Wildlife Diversity
Among large urban parks worldwide the Presidio is extraordinarily rich in
native wildlife and plant diversity. The biodiversity here offers visitors
opportunities to learn about and enjoy the oldest living heritage of the
park and city. There are over 250 species of native plants including 12
with rare or endangered status. There are several hundred species of
wildlife, including 170 species of birds that find refuge in the park's open
space.
■■•-..•■•' : . ; ,-'-
A quail and a starfish, examples of
wildlife diversity at the Presidio.
Presidio Stories 59
PRESIDIO
A liar ofl
construction
Hrn'.ce.
'or/ Point before the
of the Golden G&k
CHANGING LANDSCAPE
Theme Overview
The Presidio's landscape reflects more than 200 years of the merging of
people and place. This cultural landscape represents an evolution of
physical development influenced by the site's geography, local and
national historical events, changing social values, and technological
advances over time. These human-made changes in the Presidio's land
constitute a mosaic of many stories.
Human Habitation
The lands of the Presidio have been occupied since the Ohlone and
Costonoans arrived in the northern California peninsula around 2500
B.C. Changes in the landscape have occurred since that time. Today, the
landscape we see largely reflects the response of military planners to the
often harsh environment and from the intent to distinguish the Presidio
from San Francisco and other military places.
Changing Technologies
Evolving site plans, building materials and architectural styles reflect
local, regional and national influences, as well as technological advances
in these trades, on the Presidio's landscape. Building form, scale, massing
and materials changed with the advancement of available materials and
military mission.
The Golden Gate
The Golden Gate's geology and geography had a great effect on the
Presidio's development. The post's location and its fortifications are
directly related to this landform and its role as guardian of the Gate.
Temporary Tales
The Presidio's landscape bore witness to many transient uses over time,
reflecting further the notion of a changing landscape. Temporary
buildings were often erected in short order and then were removed after
the pending need expired. These temporary uses ranged from wood
framed barracks, to temporary encampments, refuge tents, to the famous
and grand 1915 Panama Pacific International Exhibition.
60 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSI
TRANSFORMATION OF THE PRESIDIO
Theme Overview
Planning for the Presidio's shift from post to park began in 1 990 in order
to protect the natural, cultural, and scenic values of the Presidio in
perpetuity. In 1994, the General Management Plan Amendment was
completed and the Army transferred the Presidio to the National Park
Service as part of the GGNRA. In 1 996, the Presidio Trust, a federal
corporation, was established to preserve and enhance the park while
achieving financial self-sufficiency by 2013. The NPS manages the
coastal areas of the Presidio, and the Presidio Trust manages the interior,
including open space and 770 buildings. The NPS and the Trust are
working in partnership to transform the Presidio from a military post to a
national park, a story all its own. Stewardship of the Presidio.
Sustainability
The Presidio will be a model of environmental, historical, cultural and
American people. Historic preservation activities, cultural programs, and
environmental sustainability projects (recycling, green buildings, etc.)
offer unique opportunities for education and interpretation.
The New Presidio Community
The Presidio Trust is responsible for leasing the 3 million square feet of
non-residential space in the park (2/3 in historic buildings), and the 1,116
housing units in the Presidio. The Presidio community includes a diverse
mix of tenants, with many services to offer. The Presidio will eventually
host 5,000 people working in various non-profit and commercial
organizations and have 2,400 residents in order to achieve a jobs-housing
balance.
Community Participation
The National Park Service and the Presidio Trust are committed to
community stewardship and participation in the planning, maintaining,
and enjoyment of the park.
T'i;ti;>
Presidio Stories 61
PRESIDIO
Volunteers/Presidio Park Stewards
Many Presidio programs, including the planting of native plants at Crissy
Marsh and Lobos Creek, are the work of dedicated park volunteers.
From Post to Park
■H A very important and unique Presidio story is the transformation from
HH post to park. This transformation is ongoing and is reflected in
jlljl restoration and environmental clean-up, and building rehabilitation
Jljj through die Presidio.
■ Building Rehabilitation
Tmnsfomiinfi former military buildings The rehabilitation of buildings using environmentally sustainable
to meet the needs of new users. materials is an ongoing and very visible part of the transformation from a
military post to new park uses.
■ Crissy Field and Crissy Air Field Restoration
This spectacular area has recently been improved with a $32 million
restoration project including a 20-acre tidal marsh and shoreline dunes,
and a restored historic grass airfield, replacing a 40-acre asphalt parking
lot.
■ Lobos Creek Watershed and Habitat Restoration
The NPS and Trust are enhancing one of the last free flowing streams in
San Francisco (and the Presidio's water supply) with native plants to
create a habitat for rare wildlife.
■ Environmental Remediation
In 1999, the Trust secured $100 million from the Army for Presidio-wide
environmental remediation currentiy underway.
■ Vegetation Management Plan
In 2000, the National Park Service and the Presidio Trust expect to
complete a long-range management plan to maintain a rich tapestry of
native plants, historic forest and landscaped areas.
A mew of Lobos Creek.
62 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Presidio Sj'inposium was part of a dynamic process to create the
visitor and interpretive experience for the Presidio of San Francisco. The
input gathered at the Symposium was creative, diverse, visionary, and
essential to the future of the Presidio. It is hoped that the Symposium
participants will continue to lend their expertise and be integral parts of
the planning process.
Symposium Participants
Mr. Michael Alexander
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Ms. Jane Boston, Lucas Education Foundation
Ms. Erin Broadbent
Superintendent, Kings Mountain National Military Park
Dr. Albert Broussand
Texas A & M University
Ms. Puanani Burgess
Project Co-Director, Indigenous Communities Mapping Initiative
Mr. Craig Cellar
Cultural Resources Management, NPS
Mr. Milton Chen
Executive Director, The George Lucas Educational Foundation
Mr. John Colonghi
Vice President of Development, Marketing and External Affairs
Buck Center for Research in Aging
Mr. Gary Davis
Senior Scientist, Channel Islands National Park
Presidio Stories 63
PRESIDIO
Mr. Lee Davis
California Studies Program, San Francisco State University
Ms. Diane Demee-Benoit
Director of Outreach, Lucas Films
Ms. Amina Dickerson
Director of Contributions, Kraft Foods
Mr. Matthew T. Downey
University of Northern Colorado
Ms. Katherine Eberbach
Director of Programs, Bay Area Discovery Museum
Mr. Harrison Fraker
Dean of Environmental Design, UC Berkeley
Ms. Helene Fried
Consultant in Art
Mr. Andrew Galvan
The Ohlone Indian Tribe
Mr. Chris Glennon
Lucas Digital
Ms. Suzanne Geurra
Institute for Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso
Mr. Whitney Hall
Past Post Commander, Presidio of San Francisco
Colonel Herbert Hart
Council on America's Military Past
Mr. Dale Hess
Executive Vice President, San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau
64 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUI
Mr. Michael Heyman
Presidio Trust Board of Directors
Mr. George Horse Capture
Cultural Resource Center
Mr. William Issel
History and Urban Studies Department, San Francisco State University
Mr. Seth Kami!
President, Big Onion Walking Tours Inc.
Ms. Jacquelin Kehl
Mutsun/Ohlone Descendent
Mr. Redmond Kernan
Fort Point and Presidio Historical Association
Ms. Chong Kim
Golden Gate National Parks Association
Mr. Jack Laws
California Academy of Sciences
Ms. Marti Liecester
Associate Regional Director, Operations and Education
Pacific West Region, NPS
Ms. Felicia Lowe
President, Angel Island Immigration Foundation Board
Mr. John Martini
Former NPS Curator of Military History
Ms. Kathleen McLean
Director of Public Programs, Exploratorium
Mr. Jim Meadows
Executive Director, Presidio Trust
Presidio Stories 65
PRESIDIO
Ms. Amy Meyer
Presidio Trust Board of Directors
Mr. Greg Moore
Executive Director, Golden Gate National Parks Association
Dr. Richard Moran
San Francisco Historical Society
Mr. Donald Murphy
Hearst Castle Preservation Foundation
Dr. Kouji Nakata
La Jolla Group
Ms. Rose Ochi
Director, US Department of Justice Community Relations Service
Mr. Brian O'Neill
Superintendent, Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Mr. Larry O'Reilly
Smithsonian Institution
Mr. John Reynolds
Regional Director, Pacific West Region, NPS
Dr. Holly Robinson
Executive Director of Learning, Convergent Media S3 ? stems
Ms. Christy Rocca
Director of Programs, Crissy Field Community Environmental
Education Center
Ms. Arlene Rodriguez
Director of Communications, Golden Gate National Parks Association
Mr. Toby Rosenblatt
Chairman, Presidio Trust Board of Directors
66 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSI
Dr. Hal Rothman
Rothman and Associates
Mr. Chris Schillizzi
Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services, Independence National
Historic Park
Ms. Jean Silverman
New York Institute of Technology
Dr. Stan Silverman
New York Institute of Technology
Mr. Kevin Starr
State Librarian of California
Mr. Don Taylor
Chair, Department of Recreation and Leisure,
San Francisco State University
Ms. Rosalyn Tonai
Executive Director, National Japanese American Historical Society
Ms. Helen Wagenvoord
Associate Director, Pacific Region,
National Parks Conservation Association
Mr. Richard White
Byrne Professor, History Department, Stanford University
Ms. Linda Yamane
Rumsien/Ohlone Descendent
Many thanks to all of the participants who worked to make this
Symposium a successful step forward for the Presidio.
Presidio Stories 67
Group Photo Of Symposium Participants
Presidio Stories: A Visitor Experience and Interpretation Symposium
April 13, 14, 15 2000 San Francisco, CA
68 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
INTERPRETIVE PLANNING TEAM
The National Park Service and Presidio Trust also wish to acknowledge
the following participants in the Presidio interpretive planning process,
including those who helped to plan the Symposium and those who are
providing ongoing support.
Ms. Beatrice Ammann, Presidio Trust
Ms. Kristin Baron, National Park Service
Ms. Mai-Liis Bartling, National Park Sendee
Ms. Jane Blackstone, Presidio Trust
Ms. Laura Castellini, National Park Service
Dr. Randolph Delehanty, Presidio Trust
Mr. Will Elder, National Park Service
Ms. Catey Feierabend, Presidio Trust
Ms. Adena Friedman, Moore Iacofano Goltsman
Ms. Theresa Griggs, National Park Service
Mr. Steve Haller, National Park Service
Mr. Daniel Iacofano, Moore Iacofano Goltsman
Mr. Howard Levitt, National Park Service
Ms. Cindy Nielsen, National Park Service
Mr. James Osborne, National Park Service
Ms. Chris Ottoway, Presidio Trust
Ms. Heather Pribyl, National Park Service
Mr. Damien Raffa, Presidio Trust
Ms. Michelle Rios, National Park Service
Ms. Maty Scott, National Park Service
Ms. Naomi Torres, National Park Service
Mr. Paul Tutde, Moore Iacofano Goltsman
Ms. Kay Voyvodich, Presidio Trust
Mr. Rich Weideman, National Park Service
Presidio Stories 69
PRESIDIO
APPENDIX A: TRANSCRIPTIONS AND GRAPHICS
Symposium Presentations
Graphic Materials
70 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
SYMPOSIUM PRESENTATIONS
Rose M. Ochi, Director of the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations
Service
Good morning. You mentioned that I was a schoolteacher. For those of you who came in late, can
you come in and take a seat, please? When I arrived this morning, I had a choice of going to that
gathering over here, and when I saw your coffee table, when I saw organic and herbal tea, I say this
is the right place.
John, I've been introduced a lot, and I really appreciate your kind remarks. I want to applaud here,
publicly, your leadership in the Western region, and particularly, your championing the Manzanar
National Historic Site for a millennium grant. Thank you so much.
I'm pleased to be invited today by the Presidio Trust to speak on the topic of telling all the stories,
inclusive interpretation. I understand that during this symposium, you are going to be formulating
themes that will guide future interpretation and presentation of the Presidio to the public. So I need
to issue a disclaimer before I start. I'm no expert on national parks or on historical interpretations,
yet, I have gained some experiences, insights, perspectives, from my life, my career, and my work on
the Manzanar Historic Site campaign that might be helpful to the task at hand.
I work in Washington DC for the Department of justice. As I drive to work, I pass the National
Archives, and on the wall on Pennsylvania Ave., there is an inscription: What is passed is prolonged.
I first noticed this plaque when I was heading up to the hill to testify on behalf of the City of Los
Angeles for the Manzanar bill. An interpretation of that quote could be helpful in what you'll be
doing in the next few days.
One of the reasons for understanding our history is to avoid repeating past injustices. American
History contains great achievements, but also ugly and horrendous tragedies, as well. When one
reviews particularly regrettable periods, you'll find many of them have a connection to racial and
ethnic exploitation and oppression. Racial intolerance doesn't happen in a vacuum. It's fueled by
inflammatory policy debates. It's nurtured in a climate of bigotry, and a failure of all of us who
remain silent and immobilized. So as we stand on the brink of a new millennium — you probably
thought you weren't going to be hearing that phrase any more after "Bulworth" — it's kind of hard
for me to say it with a straight face.
We need to think about our country's history and how the national park system can provide an
important vehicle to tell stories that not only give us pride in our heritage, but also acknowledges our
past racial injustices, such as towards Native Americans, slavery, economic exploitation of
indentured immigrant workers, and racially targeted governmental wrongdoings. All of us want to
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move our country forward, united, embracing our diversity. However, sadly, in the headlines dairy,
we see accounts of racial conflicts. Whether it's church arson, hate crimes, racial profiling, law
enforcement use of excessive force; what did we learn? For an Asian American, it's been a
particularly difficult time. Although we have made great progress, there are times it feels almost like
"Yellow Peril II", what with the bashing and trade policies with Asian countries, the targeting of
Asian fundraising and Chinese espionage. I want to make clear that Asian-Americans are not
apologists for Asian countries. But the tenor, tone, and intensity of the coverage and the debate is
suspect.
Personally, there are days in Washington I feel like I did as a young girl, going to school on Pearl
Harbor day, feeling very anxious, frightened, and angry. It's guilt by association, all over again. I've
been down this path before, as John has mentioned. My family, along with one hundred and twenty
thousand persons of Japanese Ancestry was arbitrarily deprived of our liberty without due process
during WWII. I spent my formative years growing up behind barbed wire with guard towers and
armed sentries. I spent 6 months living in the Santa Anita horse stables. This negative experience in
my personal history has served to guide my career and community endeavors. As director of the
federal government's race relations arm, I take special interest in advancing sentiments and trends
that can affect diverse racial and ethnic communities across America.
Our mission, as John described, has recently taken us from church arson to racial unrest in the wake
of police uses of excess force in Los Angeles and Riverside and New York City; and communities
that are fractured in the aftermath of a hate crime, as for example, in Jasper, Texas, following the
brutal dragging death of James Bird, Jr. This weekend, today, we are busy trying to ensure peaceful
protests around the transfer of Elian Gonzalez. We're involved in trying to maintain calm around
the confederate flag issue in a number of communities. Washington is very busy with the protest
demonstrations around the WTO meeting, so our plate is very, very full. Some of it is a
consequence of our Nation's failure to come to grips with bias and discrimination.
I feel very, very fortunate that I have the opportunity to serve in this role, when both the president
and the attorney general are making race and hatecrimes a top priority. Both these issues fall
squarely in the purview of our agency. The president in his second term inaugural address talked
about his vision of one America, a place where people of diverse backgrounds can come together to
live and work harmoniously, and that it is his hope that through this initiative, it will engage
community leaders, such as you, to reach out to the American people, and touch their hearts and
minds. The first step in the healing process is for each of us to examine our own feelings about
race.
Two years ago, I accompanied the president to Little Rock, Arkansas, to commemorate the 40
anniversary of the desegregation case involving Central High. CRS' role is that we were appointed
by Judge Susan Webber- Wright to mediate the outstanding educational issues. While I was there, I
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made a personal pilgrimage to Rower, when I was interned. And Rower does not have any
structures — there's a graveyard and some monuments, but pretty much the area has returned to
cotton fields. But as I walked through the cemetery, it brought back some memories. Some of
them were of some very joyful times, and others were quite painful. I remember being lined up one
day to be renamed. My parents had given me a beautiful name: Takayo, which means a child with
high ideals. But the well-meaning ladies in Arkansas decided to give me an American name, Rose.
Today, when I think about it, I do feel fortunate, because, just think, I could've gotten Petunia.
Each of us has a story to tell. This is a necessary part of the honest conversations taking part across
the country, spurred by the president's initiative. Telling our personal stories can make us whole.
Telling all the stories can make the country, and the American people whole. So let me share one
story, and that is how Manzanar, a former internment camp, became a part of the National Park
System. It's a journey over twenty years, a story about hatred, hostilities, and opposition, and a story
about racial reconciliation, understanding and healing. My involvement began in 1972, when I had
just graduated from law school. I was a public interest attorney at Western Center on Law and
Poverty. The Manzanar Committee approached me and asked me to serve as their legal advisor.
Prior to this time or thereabout, there had been a very contemptuous fight to establish Manzanar as
a part of a state historic landmark program, and the designation resulted in a lot of division,
particularly in the valley. It was over the wording: "Manzanar Concentration Camp." These same
words recently triggered a backlash from the Jewish community, when the National Park Service
mounted an exhibit at Ellis Island entitled, "America's Concentration Camp." But that conflict
created an opportunity for people to come together. Japanese- American community met with the
Jewish community leaders, and they came to understand we were not comparing death camps to
what the Japanese -Americans had experienced. They — the Jewish community — came together and
helped organize the event, and it was quite a success. This is an example, when there is a
misunderstanding people can talk together and work through the issues.
Back to the campaign, in 1974 I went to work for Mayor Bradley in the city as a legislative
coordinator. At that time the Park Service was looking at naming Manzanar and then the same issue
surfaced, but time was of essence — they needed to pour the plaque — and some people said you
can't say internment, some people said it must sa}^ concentration. If you've been up there, and you
look at the plaque for the National Historic Landmark location, you'll see it says, and I made this
decision unilaterally — Manzanar. 1 didn't want to be delayed with any more bickering.
A few years later (I wish he were here) Dan Olson, on the Western region staff, was assigned the
responsibility of conducting a feasibility study at Manzanar as part of an effort to study sights
associated with the Pacific Campaign. He somehow got my name and asked if I could intervene
with the Department of Water and Power. Water and Power owns the land where Manzanar sits,
and with the Inyo County Board of Supervisors. I wrote the board, inviting them to sit down and
talk. A reporter told me that my letter triggered a derogatory comment from one of the board
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members who said, "I served in the Pacific War, and why would we want to commemorate the
Japs?" I went up there to Independence and had lunch with him, and others. I pulled him aside and
1 said to him, look, what don't you want? And I said to him, "What do you need? You need some
economic development. Manzanar will help promote tourism." Let's not be sidetracked by those
things that divide. Let's work together, Japanese-American community, Inyo County, in making a
park that will benefit us all. Well, I want you to know that this declared opponent worked really
hard to gain votes on the other side of the aisle in Congress, and to reach out to community
residents to earn support. In the process, we've become very good friends.
Another story on the national level, someone who was very instrumental and in an important
position, Senator Alan Simpson, who was so important to securing passage of the Japanese Redress
and Reparations bill. When he was a young boy, he told me this story — we were both on the
immigration committee under Carter — as a Boy Scout, he used to go past barbed wire fences to play
with Japanese- American boy scouts at Heart Mountain. One of those boy scouts was Norman
Moneda, and they maintained a pen-pal relationship for many, many years and then many }?ears later,
reunited on the Hill. Their friendship made quite a difference in bringing about the passage of the
Redress legislation. This illustrates that personal relations often shape our history.
This legislative campaign for Manzanar was very different from most. The Hill was a slam-dunk.
However, there was opposition on two fronts - one in the Valley, a lot of it is, as I said, the vestige
of the state designation fight, and in City Hall. The Parks Service convened a briefing in Enyo to
explain their intentions, and invited community residents. I brought along two Japanese-American
WWII veterans. When I met them for breakfast, and I saw them and they were in jackets with
ribbons with their American Legions hats and all, I said, isn't that a bit much? But as we
approached Independence City Hall, we crossed paths with a gentleman named Vemesconi, and he
was a veteran of WWI, and he was sent to oppose the site. But I will tell you, when his eyes caught
the medals, the American Legion stuff, he seemed very surprised. We greeted him and went in.
When he got up, he had been designated to speak against the project, he said he didn't know that
Japanese-Americans fought on the American side — the same side — and it seems with this little bit of
facts, his resolve to fight the effort just melted away. This was an amazing transformation; it was
just really inspiring to watch. It's reassuring to see that hate and anger can dissipate in the face of
truth.
My husband, he's a fisherman, and we go up to the Sierras a lot, and he said, you know, you guys are
so busy doing your story, you're not thinking about how other people react. And it was his idea,
actually, as we move up and down on highway 95; he noticed at a restaurant a blue star highway
designation. And what that plaque indicates is that young men volunteered to fight in wars from
that area. So it was his idea that we get a blue star highway designation in front of Manzanar, and
it's there. So that maybe, people will understand that it wasn't just enemy aliens, but Americans of
Japanese ancestry who were interned.
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I wanted to make efforts to reach out to all sectors in the Valley, to gain their support, so I would
meet with Native Americans... We had a gathering with early-setders' descendents, what do they call
them — pioneers? And what I did was, and I didn't have the authority to do it, but since I had
approached Malevine to do the bill, I just figured, what the heck? And I told them, I promise you,
your stories will also be told. And I'm proud to tell you that the final bill language provides to do
just that. And the archeological report that was done by the National Parks Service includes artifacts
from all periods of the occupation, prehistoric, settiers, and the Manzanar camp. Not about DWB.
So, we didn't want to leave any stone unturned. One time my husband and I were going up to go
fishing, and we stopped for breakfast at a coffee shop in Lone Pine, Bobos. As we were sitting
there, in walks a Japanese-American, and he moves through and starts kibitzing with everybody, and
I told my husband, hey, look, someone diat knows folks here — he can help us garner support. And
then the guy goes behind the counter, gets his own coffee, and seems to be schmoozing with all the
town's big shots. So I say, look, give me one minute, I'm going to go over there, talk to this guy.
My husband says, the fish are jumping, no, let's go. Anyway, 1 run over to him, and I say, hi, I'm
Rose Ochi, I'm with the Moor's office and the Manzanar Committee, and we're doing this, that and
we need your help and blah, blah, blah. I say, here's my card, and do you have one? I have to run.
And 1 said, what do you do? You seem to know everyone. And he says, I'm the dishwasher.
Anyway, didn't want to leave any stone unturned.
Our biggest hurdle in passing this bill was really in City Hall, and it was a tough batde, because some
very powerful figures were trying to stand in the way, but in short, what was being pushed as
ostensible water rights interests was essentially a thinly veiled, racially motivated resistance. And the
enlightened city leadership really could see through this, and cast it aside, and the Mayor signed off
on the bill.
What I learned from this struggle was when ugly, indefensible intentions come to light, people of
goodwill do what's right. Bringing to fruition the Manzanar Committee's dream of keeping the
memory alive had finally come to pass. And this memorial will teach the American people about
how government can in times of crisis abridge constitutional protections, and at the same time, it
will give us reason for pride, in knowing that only in America, a great country, would offer a
presidential apology and reparations. The fact is, the unfair treatment of Japanese- Americans could
never have occurred without the long history of pervasive racial prejudice and actual discrimination
by law in this country. We need to reflect on what is the larger meaning of this sad chapter. For us
as individuals, as part of a larger society and as a nation, in order that this tragic blot on our nation's
history not be allowed to happen again. The racial differences and conflicts, which surfaced in the
sight approval process, mirror the disputes that arise daily in our communities. The win-win victory
after a contemptuous path is testimony to how honest and constructive conversations can lead to
racial understanding and reconciliation.
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So I would say to you, as you discuss the future of the Presidio Trust, and the National Parks in the
next century, you need to be bold, you need to be honest, in creating a system that tells all the
stories. I would encourage you to think about how the Park System could be more relevant and
sensitive to African -Americans, Hispanics, Asian- Americans, first Americans, and other ethnic
groups. As part of the President's initiative, he charged all the departments to convene dialogues.
The Department of the Interior was among the most successful. One of their projects involved the
Underground Railroad. 1 personally convened a number of dialogues. A common concern was the
need to fairly and accurately depict history, particularly in as much as many stories are not told.
When I met with some first Americans in Tucson, they said to me, it's not good for Indian children
or white children to only see Indians as savages, or victims. This suggests that we need to make
certain that we include all people's historically significant points, and that they're not buried, ignored,
or distorted.
1 understand minorities generally have a low participation rate in the Parks System, and that could be
for many reasons, but how do you explain in instances where parks are easily accessible and even
involve their specific history and there is low participation? Could minorities stay away from certain
sites because they are offensive in their depiction of their history? Is there a need to take a look at
reinterpreting messages in keeping with post-civil rights sensibilities and self-interpretation? At the
same time, you do not want to give only an ethnic-specific presentation, without supplying
foundation information that will promote understanding rather than stir antagonism from the
majority culture. When the Smithsonian Institution, and I see we have in our midst Michael Hamen,
put a marvelous exhibit, A More Perfect Union together, the Japanese-American community was
very pleased that this chapter was being told at the national level. Recently I spoke to a National
Park official, and they told me that that particular exhibit has generated a lot of negative comments
and bacldash. So, I would want you to keep in mind, how can we tell a compelling story, without
creating misunderstanding and backlash? So I ask you to keep that in mind. You need to ask; what
glaring gaps exist about race-specific events in the history of America, including such places of
interest which certainly draw under-served groups. Recently, 1 went to a History Channel preview
of the story of the internment of Italian-Americans from the West Coast, from Fisherman's Wharf,
nearby. They didn't round up Italian-Americans on the East Coast, who were concentrated in the
cities in great numbers. But here was someone that had been involved in the Japanese-American
movement and was not aware that this had taken place.
There's something else that I wanted to note. When I did go to the Ellis Island exhibit and all, you
know, you read all the messages around Ellis Island, the refrains around welcoming the teeming
masses to America's shore from Europe. And then you need to contrast and think, what kind of
messages are we saying about Angel Island? 1 remember when I was on the Immigration
Commission someone showed me some poems that were written in Chinese on the walls at Angel
Island Detention Facility. And one went something like, "Black marks on a sheet of paper separate
me from my loved ones."
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People from races from around the globe have made America strong and prosperous, and we need
to find ways to appropriately recognize all of them. There have been some tragic episodes in our
nation's history. Teaching future generations about our mistakes is a uniquely American capacity.
We need to acknowledge our past injustices in order that we can heal, and move forward together.
The last link in the unfinished agenda, after the gains of the Civil Eights period, is to forthrightiy
address America's unresolved issues with race. And as long as our national creed is deeply routed in
concepts of equality, opportunity, and fair play, progress on civil rights will ultimately be the
measure of our civilization. So, let's mark this point in our history with pride in our
accomplishments and purpose in the task that lies before us. From this experience we may come to
discover that we all have a stake in racial understanding. It resonates to enlighten self-interest.
In closing, therefore, whether developing themes for the Presidio Trust, or interpreting all stories,
developing integrating themes must include the basic core principles upon which this country was
founded: equality, opportunity, and fair play. 1 want to you to know that I am hopeful. It's a real
challenge for America, and that is reclaiming American conscious, and the Park Service can work to
help advance these aims. There's a lot of reason to be hopeful — certainty, if a girl that was interned
by her own country can serve on President Carter's immigration commission to fight for fair and
equitable immigration policies; and whose parents - my parents — were subject to deportation when
they were released from the camps; where I can help the Japanese- American community fight for
redress and be invited by President Reagan to the signing ceremony, and who now can be tapped by
President Clinton to head up the federal government's Race Relations arm, I think we have every
reason to be hopeful. And I want you to know that Takayo is very hopeful.
Thank you very much.
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PRESIDIO
Robert G. Stanton, National Park Service Director
Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and Guests, thank you for coming today. A special thanks to Jim
Meadows and Brian O'Neill for extending a gracious invitation to give me this opportunity to be
with you on this very special occasion.
The Presidio is a great and storied place with a long and honored history reaching back to the days
before European colonies and centuries before there were major human conflicts we would call
"World Wars." These grounds reflect continuity and they show change. They encompass the
loveliness of San Francisco's last free-flowing stream and the last refuge of some native plants and
animals long gone from other parts of this peninsula. And yet the telltale signs of the electronic age,
portable phones, hand-held computers and more are commonplace on these grounds.
But through it all, there has been The Presidio. So imbedded is this place in American thinking that
many are wholly unaware that a "presidio" is defined as "A garrison, especially a fortress of the kind
established in the southwest United States by the Spanish to protect their holdings and missions."
But the Presidio of San Francisco has a place in the American memory that no other presidio can
touch. It is that pre-eminence that makes this one " The Presidio ."
It is that pre-eminence that makes "The Presidio" a part of America's National Park System and its
preservation and interpretation a partnership with the Presidio Trust.
The National Park Service has a special role. We are caretakers of a nation's heritage. Entrusted to
us are the chosen places or our human and natural history, the ones selected for their special
qualities, worthy of protection, preservation, interpretation, and perpetuation.
On this occasion - at this very special place - our first Director Stephen Mather would remind us:
" He or she is a better citizen with a keener appreciation for living here in the United States who has
toured the National Parks."
The Service has a special place in American's regard for public agencies and public servants. We are
respected in large measure, for the places that have been entrusted to us. But we are respected, as
well, in my judgment, for the honesty, and integrity with which we tell the stories , the full stories of
these places. Of everything handed down to us, nothing is as important to pass on in our legacy than
that same reputation for truth and balance. It is at once the most precious and the most fragile of
the treasures in our hands.
The over-riding, unifying role of the National Park Service here at the Presidio is our responsibility
to tell the story of this place in all its varied parts for those who come here from down the street or
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around the world. The telling of that story is what we call interpretation, and it lies at the heart of
today's program.
We must tell the stories of Native Americans and generations of Asian immigrants seeking hope and
opportunity. We must recount the accomplishments of the Buffalo soldiers, black troops who
garrisoned both this post and the early California parks — Yosemite, General Grant and Kings
Canyon — and the rich Hispanic heritage and contributions.
We must relate the hopes and fears of young military recruits and their commanders off to battles in
distant places and those of courageous veterans, returning with the weight of lessons learned and
battles fought. We must help visitors understand how a place came to symbolize order , discipline ,
history and d irection.
We cannot skew the stories of our heritage to suit our own agenda. One of the great challenges of
interpretation is to deliver a message that is truthful, balanced, and as fair as we can make it. A story
worthy of public interest needs exposure, not distortion, to make it work.
The goal of preserving some of the nation's most precious resources is the foundation of National
Park System management, law, and policy and it inspires Americans. As expressed by President
Theodore Roosevelt: "Nothing short of defending this country during wartime compares in
importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendants
than it is for us."
The National Park Service plays an important role in shaping the environment, civic life, cultural
heritage, economy, and future of the nation's cities and communities. I'm not sure it is a role we
sought; I am sure it is a role we have. This role must be based on sound stewardship of resources
and an accurate understanding of the relationship between people, parks, and their environment.
This is not simply a challenge for the new millennium. We should be thinking in terms of what will
be here for the 22 nd century and the 23 rd . We will have dishonored our legacy if we are not prepared
to protect it, preserve it, and pass it on to succeeding generations.
We have a monumental obligation to the future. If any action brings risk, then inaction brings a
bigger risk. It is our duty to point the way in this new millennium. The job will go on long after we,
collectively and individually, have departed the stage. But the direction it goes will be determined in
very important ways by what we do!
Therefore we must also better educate ou r employees, visitors, park neighbors, educators, civic,
government and business leaders about the places, values and resources of the National Park
System. We must ensure that the Park Service attracts the best-trained, motivated and diverse
professional staff possible.
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I am given to the belief that our national parks provide opportunities and experiences that awaken
the potential in each of us to become better stewards. Our third President, Thomas Jefferson,
perhaps said it best — "The strength and character of our Nation are determined by how we care for
our resources."
I submit that we all are stewards of our heritage resources — at home, in the community, at work,
and fn your national parks. But I also believe that these pieces of our common heritage that we call
parks are touchstones for all Americans. These are the places we share and honor as a nation.
It has been said that "without history, there is nothing." So it is with the National Park System. Our
history is a story often told with images of sewing: a patchwork quilt in which each piece has a
special story but the full effect is only achieved when they are sewn together. Or, in another version,
a tapestry of interwoven strands of every hue and color , forming patterns of great beauty.
I like those images, because they tell a story of the real America.
The real America is a vast American Indian civilization that built complex cliff dwellings and
developed the culture that built cities and villages and fought bravely to protect their own home
lands, cultures, and liberties.
It is the historic homes of civil rights, political, and corporate leaders. It is the lands of the poor,
struggling to build lives for themselves on a Nebraska homestead claim. Even the forts that dot the
Park System symbolize different things. There are the great fur-trading posts. We also have the way
stations on the migration routes of a dynamic, expanding nation.
It is places where we honor and preserve the rich cultural resource and traditions of native people of
Hawaii , Alaska and Guam.
There are batde sites from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars- — including the key surrender fields of
both great conflicts.
In the national parks we can climb steep ladders into the communities ancient civilizations
constructed at Mesa Verde.
"We can stand at Minute Man, close our eyes, and hear the shot that was figuratively heard round the
world, igniting the spark of independence of our great Nation.
We can understand the values of human dignity, thirst for education, and a responsibility to our
young people through the legacy of Dr. Maty McLeod Bethune.
We can visit Manzanar and contemplate the fragility of constitutional rights when the societal fabric
is stressed.
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We can absorb the resonance at Little Big Horn Battlefield of 19 th century cultural conflict and its
relevance to contemporary society.
We can be humbled and appreciative of the courage and accomplishments of the World War II
Tuskeegee Airmen overcoming great odds in segregated military forces amid racial discrimination.
We can marvel at the genius and innovations of Thomas Edison.
We can celebrate the texture of rich Hispanic cultures and the historic achievement of international
diplomacy that created Chamizal National Memorial.
We can retrace the gold rush of the Klondike and reflect on the toughness of the human spirit and
endeavors reflected there.
We can learn how the commanding voice of Frederick Douglass eloquently spoke out against the
inherent inequality between our Declaration of Independence and the human bondage of four
million Americans.
We can commemorate the voyages and explorations of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo.
It takes an all-out effort to preserve human works, whether they are forts, battleships, historic
homes, petroglyphs, or artifacts.
And new parks with new challenges are very much a part of today's National Park System. We
cannot be held captive to a static past, even as we manage this nation's legacies of human history.
The preservation of cultural resources demonstrates the values of community and diversity that link
us with the heritage of our predecessors and our legacy to our successors.
We cannot have resource preservation without public support. We cannot have suppor t without
public concern, or concern without understanding. Interpretation fosters the understanding that
makes preservation possible.
Interpreters are well known for their abilities to find creative solutions to solving park problems and
for being able to reveal previously unknown meanings residing in park resources. The challenge of
21 st century park interpretation is to make America understand that those resources offer
unchanging values deserving of our continuing attention and concern. Freeman Tilden in his book,
Interpreting our Heritage, would remind us that interpretation aims not to do something for the
listener, but to provoke the listener to do something for himself. To this end we expand and
improve upon our educational role and continue to increase the involvement of young people in the
programs of the National Park Service.
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The special places symbolize much of what we cherish about our country; accomplishments in war,
but pride in peace; honor for cultures nearly lost and inventors who saw into the future; the
continuing dream that every American can aspire to leadership; and the undying values of open
space and personal renewal through recreation, education, and cultural enrichment.
The Presidio is a fitting member of this family. It also fits because it reflects another reality of the
National Park System: going all the way back to Steven Mather, our first director we have always
known that this task is bigger than we are. We have always worked with partnerships and volunteers
who shared an interest and desire to assure that our legacy is passed on improved, just as Theodore
Roosevelt counseled us to do.
A decision was made by Congress some years ago the Presidio was one of those special places that
symbolize and represent the heritage of this nation. The American people have entrusted it to our
care — truly entrusted it — because they think we can assure that it will be a worthy legacy, a grand
inheritance for future generations of Americans.
Parks are to be managed with the understanding that they have great and continuing value in a
growing, changing nation. They are not static parts of a fading past, but dynamic pieces of exciting,
evolving future. It is up to us to provide this special place the protection, preservation, education,
and perpetuation. Wherever we fall short, we diminish the inheritance of coming generations.
Over the next few days, I am sure there will be a wealth of opportunity to discuss the challenge of
interpreting the richness of the Presidio. But don't ever lose sight of the fact that our prime
responsibility is to those who will pass this way long after we have gone our separate ways.
It is an inspirational opportunity. I wish you well. We owe this place nothing less.
In closing, please permit me to share a work of wisdom by one of this nation's great
conservationists, Mardy Murie, who in 1998 was honored by President Clinton with the Presidential
Medal of Freedom, our nation's highest civilian award.
I had the grand opportunity and privilege to meet Ms. Murie when I first worked with the National
Park Service in 1962 in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. I was then a college senior. I
benefited from her counsel and support then and we remain friends to this day. She said that "My
father told me if you take one step with all the knowledge you have — there is a usually enough light
at the end to take the next step."
You have a great deal of knowledge at this symposium - now let us together take the next step in
furthering the preservation and interpretation of the rich legacy of the Presidio as a part of our
National Park System — o ur collective heritage. Thank you!
82 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
John Reynolds, Regional Director of the Pacific West Region of the National Park
Service
Ah, here we are. . .Baghdad by the Bay!
The Presidio of San Francisco. The western anchor to a whole continent. Where Manifest Destiny
ends and America looking west across the Pacific begins.
El Presidio de San Francisco. Where Spanish America established itself as a power on the North
American West Coast.
Before Spanish and English names, home to the Ohlone for hundreds, thousands of years.
Before any human language joined the noises of the sea, mande rock pushed from the depths of the
earth, ancient rock bom from the greatest of earth forces, standing here today.
The stories of this place we call the presidio are stories of nature's beauty and sublimity, nature's
power and variety; and stories of the work of man here and across the world.
The Presidio of San Francisco — one of nature's most beautiful and stunning creations a homeland
to first peoples, and a place of national, cultural and military significance of the highest order. A
place whose future, as a part of our national park system is being formed every day... a place the
future of which is so important we have asked you all to come here and think together. We are
asking you to help determine the future of the Presidio, its relevance and worth to people here and
abroad and how to communicate that to actual and virtual visitors from all over the world.
The Presidio was first envisioned as a part of the National Park System in 1972, when Congressman
Phil Burton included a sentence in the legislation creating Golden Gate National Recreation Area
that ensured the Presidio would become a part of the National Park System should it ever become
excess to military needs.
And then the nearly unthinkable happened. The Presidio, in its entirety a National Historic
Landmark since 1962, became part of the United States National Park System and Golden Gate
National Recreation Area on October 1 , 1 994. And so it is today.
As you go about your work these next three days, keep in mind what the congress said in 1994 when
it created the presidio Trust. It said it means to use this great piece of a wondrous national park as:
. A reflection of the great nations whose histories have root here . . . Ohlone, Spain, United States.
Presidio Stories 83
PRESIDIO
• A learning center, a university, a place of discovery — not just of facts but, of the full diversity of
ideas and philosophies, ways of life, understanding earth forces, appreciating aesthetics, creating
dreams and ethics for the future.
• A legacy. . .a legacy of human caring about both the past and the future; a legacy of intellect and
philosophy and altruism and patriotism; a legacy of a future as uplifting as that of the past.
• A real place, an authentic place, not just a shell in which activity not related to the place could
become more important that humankind's altruism and dreams of our ability to uplift ourselves.
• A place with amazing stories, large and small, of our cultural past and our natural base, which
add to our unique and still evolving American experience.
• A place that projects the best of the American ideal.
• A place where preservation matters because of a nationally significant past which enriches our
future.
• A place that not only is but feels as though It belongs to all of us, that is inviting, that is
inclusive.
• A place where partners working together create a whole bigger that the sum of their parts.
The general management plan for the Presidio, created with great public participation, possesses an
altruistic vision for the future worthy of the past that unfolded here, worthy of the setting of the
place, worthy of the future. The vision of this place is reflected in the Congressional findings of the
Trust Act, in the place itself, and now in all of you, gathered here to create. . .to create the basis and
the direction for relating this place to all who come, to create the link between what is here and the
promise to humankind to use this place not just for secular activities, daily recreation and
entertainment, but for inspiration and hope, for the application of intellect and creativity that can
last beyond our time in the ideals of future generations.
The Presidio can do that if allowed to do so by your work, your vision.
As you get to know this place feel for its heartbeats, let the flow of time and events envelop you and
become part of you, open yourselves to possibilities yet unsaid.
84 interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Amy Meyer, Member of the Presidio Trust Board of Directors
I'm going to start with a fairly arcane image for the Presidio. It describes exactly how I look upon
this place: the Presidio is a palimpsest. That word of both Greek and Latin origin means a tablet that
has been written upon a few times and imperfecdy erased, so the earlier images are still visible.
Indeed as we lead the Presidio into the 21 st century, ghostly images of the past are everywhere
around us.
You will see many pieces of the past as you traverse the Presidio during this conference. There are
relics of prehistoric and Native American peoples, of Spanish and Mexican armies, and of the
United States Army. However, I am only going to talk about the last thirty years of the Presidio's
immediate past history, and I hope to take you to the Presidio Trust and National Park Service times
of today.
Thirty years ago, the Interior Department wanted "to bring parks to the people where the people
are," to give people in urban areas the chance to experience a national park. That spurred some San
Francisco and Marin County residents to decide "to save the Golden Gate for public use in
perpetuity." Cuyahoga Valley and Gateway National Recreation Areas, the Golden Gate National
Recreation Area and a few other urban-area national parks by the people were established about that
time. The abbreviation for this park is GGNRA. Because the park also includes Fort Point National
Historic Site in the Presidio and Muir Woods National Monument in Marin County, we now also
say "Golden Gate National Parks."
Thirty years ago, development threatened the hills on both sides of the Golden Gate. Although a
National Historic Landmark, the Presidio was the place most endangered. The Food and Drug
Administration wanted an office building, the city of San Francisco wanted two schools, and the
Army itself wanted to build hundreds more units of housing- — after World War II the Army had
already built more housing than in all the previous years of the post's existence. People were angry
and scared. They knew the special beauty of the Golden Gate could disappear.
With veteran Sierra Club leader Dr. Edgar Wayburn, I started People for a Golden Gate national
Recreation Area. Originally, a dozen people articulated the park dream. We enlarged the 8000-acres
Interior Department park plan to save the land at the Golden Gate, and included much of west
Marin County and part of San Mateo County because we knew that otherwise this treasured open
space would disappear. Our organization spread the word and developed the broad support that is
the foundation of the park's advisory commission. After several park bills over a number of years,
the Golden Gate National Parks encompass 75,000 acres in three counties. The park is dedicated to
Congressman Phillip Burton, the legislator who, above all, made this possible.
My role in this group was to facilitate making these dreams for the Golden Gate a reality. Everyone
in this campaign, except employees of other organizations, worked as a volunteer. I ran the daily
Presidio Stories 85
PRESIDIO
campaign from a dinette counter, originally designed so my husband and I could have Sunset
Magazine buffet dinners for our friends. The only dish on that counter is for my lunch sandwich
next to the phone.
The Ptesidio did not have especially important military use in 1 970. Local residents saw the Presidio
as a stunningly beautiful, underused federal asset, except for those who saw it as potentially valuable
real estate. Congressman Burton knew there had been several attempts to close the Presidio,
beginning in the 1920s. He placed the entire Presidio, although an active Army post, entirely within
the boundary of the GGNRA, in the legislation which established the park in 1 972. Soon after, the
Army transferred jurisdiction over 45 acres of Crissy Field and 100 acres of Baker Beach to the NPS.
In 1978 Congressman Burton added a provision the Trust honors today, called "one up, one down."
If we construct new buildings, equivalent ones must be identified for demolition.
Our group kept the Army from building defacing structures on both sides of the Golden Gate,
before and after the park was established. In 1972, with NPS help, we prevented the telephone
company from erecting two fifteen-foot cubes of cinder block to house equipment on Fort Point
and Fort Baker. Two doorways to underground facilities are all that remain. In 1985-86, the Army
tried to construct a one-stop shopping center on Crissy Field, in defiance of the park's enabling
legislation that required any construction be essential to Army needs. The Sierra Club's "Burger-
King lawsuit" and a Congressional oversight hearing saved Crissy Field from a fast food restaurant,
barracks, and a regional post office.
I imagined I would be watching events from a rocking chair if the Army ever decided to give up the
Presidio. But the Presidio was slated for closure in 1989, under the Base Realignment and Closure
Act. It was the only military post out of the 86 that closed that was already protected as part of a
national park.
The National Park Service assumed jurisdiction over the Presidio in 1994. The NPS had already
completed a General Management Plan Amendment (GMPA) — so called because it amended the
park's General Management Plan — with extensive public input through the park's Advisory
Commission. The GMPA is the foundation of the Presidio's future. Because of the unique nature of
the Presidio, a special entity to assist post-to-park conversion and park administration was
anticipated in the GMPA, and this became the Presidio Trust.
Congress enacted the Presidio Trust legislation in 1996. It took three years for Congress to pass the
bill, and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi fought off tow attempts in Congress to sell the Presidio. The
Trust's legislation is not duplicated in the national park system, and in its entirety in should not be.
Because the Presidio is uniquely expensive, in 1996 Congress decreed that the Presidio must become
self-sufficient by 2013 or be sold.
86 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSI
While the Trust's efforts may, in various ways, be useful to other parks, the Presidio Trust entity is
not a model for other parks. Since 1998, the coast of the Presidio — about 20% — has been
administered by the National Park Service, and the central 80% by the Presidio Trust. Despite this
division of jurisdiction, both the NPS and the Trust want the Presidio to be seen and understood as
an undivided whole within the Golden Gate National Parks.
Section 1 of P.L. 92-589, establishing the GGNRA, mandates preservation of the natural, historic,
scenic and recreational values of the park, and its recreational and educational opportunities. It states
that the Secretary of Interior shall maintain the scenic beauty and natural character of the area. This
mandate is repeated in the Trust Act, and governs all efforts of both Golden Gate National Parks
and Presidio Trust managers.
Why is this place different? The Presidio is unique, in part, because it is the only unit of the national
park system that requires conversion of its land and buildings from military to civilian use and also
requires self-sufficiency. The Presidio's 1480 acres are exceptionally valuable, yet require extensive
upgrades — extensive remediation and rehabilitation — to make the resources safe, functional and
available for future enjoyment. The costs involved in this conversion are unparalleled in the national
park system. In contrast, America's other National Parks came into the system requiring relatively
small expense for protection of resources and provision of visitor services,
Before the Presidio Trust got underway, the Department of Defense, the National Park Service and
tenants spent over $115 million dollars on rehabilitation of the Presidio. This included water, sewer
and electrical system repairs, other infrastructure and building repairs, and capital investments in
buildings and sites.
Since the Presidio Trust assumed jurisdiction over the central area of the Presidio in 1998, it has
spent approximately $10 million on infrastructure. With 470 historic structures, and because the
Presidio is a National Historic Landmark district, the Trust must meet high standards for historic
preservation. Historic — and newer — -buildings require rewiring, retrofitting of plumbing, seismic
stabilization, lead paint and asbestos abatement, and accessibility improvements in order to meet
current codes, as well as enhancement for contemporary uses. Expensive capital improvements
include replacement of decayed infrastructure for utilities, modernization of irrigation, electrical
systems, and telecommunications, and repairs to roads. Implementing a vegetation system
management plan will cost the Trust and NPS several million dollars over many years. These
investments are needed to bring the Presidio up to current standards.
The Army originally offered the NPS $36 million over 30 years for remediation of contamination
contained in landfills and dumps. The Trust negotiated $100 million of contamination remediation
money, to be appropriated over four years. Army representatives announced this agreement with
smiles on their faces, and said they hoped it would be a model for other military cleanups.
Presidio Stories 87
PRESIDIO
The Presidio is a work in progress. It presents outstanding opportunities to implement new
technologies and be a laboratory for sustainable practices. The Trust's facilities management
recognizes "sustainability," as a significant theme of GMPA for the Presidio. From development of
an extensive on-site salvage and recycling program, to creation of "Sustainable Building Guidelines,"
the Presidio is taking a leadership role in this area. The Presidio is a testing ground for new energy
management programs, alternative-fuel vehicles, and "green" building materials. The trust
implements practices that maximize energy, water, and resource conservation and reduce waste. The
Trust views the great challenges of upgrading the site as an opportunity to be an environmental
leader.
Why have we asked you to come to this conference? I would like you, the participants, to help the
Trust and NPS shape an image of the Presidio that is multi-faceted and yet readily understandable.
This image should encourage people to visit the park — actually — by taking a walk or participating in
a program, or virtually — by reading an article, or by searching the Presidio web site for information,
so they appreciate why the Presidio is important, much as they understand such national parks as
Bandolier, Yellowstone, Valley Forge, or Ellis Island. We seek your ideas about how to tell the
stories of the Presidio. Here are some themes:
• The Presidio is an extraordinary site, encompassing outstanding park resources, which need to
be protected, rehabilitated and renewed, and with a rich history of many cultures.
• The transformation of the Presidio from a military post to a self-sustaining part of a national
park is a story not replicated elsewhere in the national park system. Park visitors should learn
how we remediate contaminated areas, and why and how we restore- — and sometimes
demolish — the multi-generational buildings and infrastructure of the Presidio, and why
sometimes we must build something new.
• The Presidio's change from Native American to military to civilian use gives us opportunity for
insight into the transformation of American attitudes about our land and society:
■ The Army preferred gardens and regimented forests to sand dunes and native plants. Today
we also value native plants and more natural-appearing forests, and also will restore parts of
the Army's garden landscape.
■ The Presidio's history contains a microcosm of the evolution of America's social attitudes
toward men and women in the military, and the place of the military and veterans in our
society.
■ There were thousands of soldiers at the Presidio when it was a bastion of conquest and
defense. Soon, thousands of people here will devote time to peaceful work and causes. The
Presidio is becoming a cooperative, collaborative community.
88 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSI
• The Presidio is part of the national park system, an American idea copied around the world. One
of the Presidio's stories is the belief of people and their legislators that it would be possible to
save this historic place within a national park, and their use of the political means of a
democracy to get the park established.
How do we tell the stories of the Presidio? Here we are and our task is to conceive of how we will
carry out the interpretation. I called the Presidio a palimpsest, one which is now saved for national
and international park enjoyment and use. Some of its history is visible, but in some places that
history is obscured. The tablet is about to receive a new layer of writing as the Presidio changes from
an inherited park into a future park. The National Park Service, the Presidio Trust and the new and
prospective tenants — Swords to Plowshares, The Film Centre, Alexa Internet, George Lucas' Digital
Arts Center, the Cultural Conservancy and the others — the new Presidio community — are now part
of the story. So may be the new ways in which we tell the Presidio's stories, and take advantage of
new media to attract and educate.
Wc hope you will help us interpret the Presidio through programs that will help exhibit the special
beauty and natural values of this place, show what people used to do here and what they do now,
and help people as they recreate, to achieve "re-creation" here. We need your assistance in telling die
Presidio's stories, and to help us shape the means by which we can share our knowledge with others,
Presidio Stories 89
PRESIDIO
APPENDIX B: FOCUS GROUPS
Focus Group Participants
Note: Six Focus Groups met and submitted results. Group Leaders compiled a list of participants
where available.
Museum and History Focus Group
Group Leaders: Peter Owens and Diane Nicholson
Bill Strobridge, Historian Emeritus
Marianne Babal, Curator— Wells Fargo Bank Historical Services
Donald B. Gray, Executive Director — Crissy Field Aviation Museum
Gray Brechin, Historian
Lional Ashcroft
Glenn David Matthews, A1A, Patri-Mercker Architects
Gordon Chappell, Historian — National Park Service
Bob Chenoweth, Curator /Veteran — Nez Perce National Historic Park
Jark Arndt
Richard Clarkson, Col.
Robert L. Menist, Major General Retired
Steve Haller, Historian
Martin Mayer, Archaeologist
Paul Scolari, Historian/ Indian Liaison
90 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Interpretation Focus Group
Group Leader: Naomi Torres
Galen Dillman, VIP Docent
Carolyn Nuite, VIP Docent
Eric Heinz, VIP Battery Chamberlin
Susan Tasaki, GGNPA Publications
Jon Plutte, GGNPA Media
Tom Daley, GGNPA Presidio Bookstore Manager
Lisa Hillstrom, Presidio Trust
Nancy Caplan, Education Coordinator-
Margaret Styles, Interpretive Ranger
Marcus Combs, Visitor Center Manager
Janice Cooper, Volunteer Coordinator
James Osborne, Interpretive Ranger-
Theresa Griggs, Interpretive Supervisor
Mary Karraker, Interpretive Ranger-
Will Elder, Interpretive Ranger
Lynn Fonfa, Interpretive Ranger
Sharon Farrell, NPS Plant Ecologist
Presidio Stories 91
PRESIDIO
Travel and Tourism Focus Group
Group Leader: Rich Weideman
Kay Voyvodich, Presidio Trust
Carolyn Horgan, Blue and Gold Fleet
Craig Smith, San Francisco
John Lawler, Discover Town Tours
William Newton, ITMT
Kevin Dwarka, Presidio Trust
Mark Helmbrecht, Presidio Trust
liana Hirsch, San Francisco Tour Guide Guild
Anthea McGoldrick, Gray Line
92 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Focus Group Summary
Similar to the Symposium participants, Focus Group participants had many diverse ideas regarding
stories to be told at the Presidio. The following stories were compiled from each Focus Group and
represent their collective response to a facilitated exercise, which directed each individual in each
group to:
Describe three stories you think are important to tell about the Presidio. They can be
anything - personal stories, folklore, military stories, natural history. Be as specific as you
can.
The stories are naturally divided into major thematic categories, similar to the categories of stories
that emerged at the Presidio Symposium.
1. WHERE EDGES MEET
Literally: where the land meets the sea
Geologically: tectonic plates and earthquakes,
Formation of the bay and the Golden Gate
Globally: North America meets the Pacific and Asia
Culturally: where peoples have met in conflict and cooperation
Politically: public lands in an urban area
THE EVOLUTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES:
Native American practices
Europeans settle at harsh site for strategic reasons
Army conquers dunes by planting forests
Present day remediation of pollution and restoration of
Native plants and ecological health
Biosphere Reserve
Rare and endangered species
Botanical exploration - plants tell stories over time
"Extinction before our eyes"
Importance of natural corridors
Encourage an ethic of land stewardship
Presidio Stories 93
PRESIDIO
3. GEOPOLITICS: The Presidio is part of a larger picture of the United States and the
Pacific
• Began with the Spanish occupation in 1776,
Continued under the Mexican Republic (1821 to 1846), and culminated in US expansion after
1846
• First the Presidio was the control center for the Indian Wars campaigns, then,
• The United States reached out across the Pacific to Asia.
. Other great powers visited San Francisco Bay including the British and the Russians (Fort Ross)
• Explores colonialism, American expansion, and imperialism
4. PRESIDIO WAS A "SUPERPOST": The command headquarters for the Western
United States
• Historically, there were five posts at die Presidio:
Main Post
Fort Point
Letterman Hospital
Fort Scott
Crissy Airfield
The Presidio contained a wide range of arnry installations:
Infantry
Cavalry
Light and Heavy Artillery
Medical
Administrative
NATIONAL PARKS AND THE ARMY: Full circle: first the army cavalry protected
national parks, now the National Park Service cares for former army posts.
Ohlone and the Spanish
Indian Campaigns
Mexicans and Californios
Japanese Internment
94 Interpretation and Visitor Experience
STORIES SYMPOSIUM
Japanese Language School
Changes in the composition of the army over 150 years
Hierarchy in military life
Truman's desegregation of the military
Role of women in the army
Family life on the post
As part of another exercise, Focus Group Participants were asked to respond to the question,
Think about your first visit to the Presidio. What was your first impression?
Following are some of the responses to this question.
"A beautiful place conflicted with its purpose"
Nice houses and green lawns
Solitude: like I was the only one there
I did not realize the depths of history here
I got lost on first three tours
A place of solitude and beauty
Presidio is a separate world from SF
Age and mystery of Fort Point
Solemn ritual of witnessing a burial in the cemetery
A returning Vietnam POW found the Presidio paradise
In an additional exercise, focus group participants were asked to name the most significant places in
the Presidio, and to describe what these places represent. Participants mentioned nearly every
location in the Park, ranging from the El Presidio Site to the Golden Gate to Crissy Field. The
variety of responses illustrates that all of the sites within the Presidio are important and hold
significant interpretive experiences for visitors.
Presidio Stories 95
As the nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has the
responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural and cultural
resources. This includes fostering sound use of our land and water resources, protecting our
fish, wildlife, and biological diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural values of our
national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor
recreation. The department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to ensure
that their development is in the best interest of all our people, by encouraging stewardship
and citizen participation in their care. The department also has a major responsibility for
American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in island territories under
U.S. administration,
Created by Congress in 1996, the Presidio Trust is charged with preserving the Presidio's
natural, historic and scenic resources while making the park financially self-sufficient by
2013. Six Presidential appointees and die Secretary of the Interior or her designee sit on th<
Board of Directors and oversee management of 80 percent of the Presidio lands.
NATIONAL
PARKS
ASSOCIATION
The Golden Gate National Parks Association is the official non-profit partner of die Golden
Gate National Recreation Area. This membership organization is dedicated to preserving
the Golden Gate National Parks, enriching the experiences of its visitors and promoting
community stewardship.
The National Park Service and the Presidio Trust thank the Golden Gate National
Parks Association for their support of the Presidio Stories Symposium.
$
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