SAN FRANCISCO — The Presidio reaches a major historical milestone on Thursday, Sept. 17: 250 years since El Presidio de San Francisco was founded on Sept. 17, 1776.
The anniversary is not a claim that the land's history began in 1776. Presidio Trust material explicitly places the Spanish military post within a much longer history that includes the Ramaytush Ohlone people, who lived on this land for thousands of years before colonization.
For people who want to mark the exact anniversary in person, the useful details are scattered across several event pages. Here is the day in one place.
What is happening at the Presidio on Sept. 17?
The Presidio's current calendar lists three one-hour Chapel commemorations at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.. The Interfaith Center at the Presidio describes the program as “Captivating Saga of Crissy Field,” an audiovisual presentation using music, art and historical film.
The Chapel is at 130 Fisher Loop. The Interfaith Center lists the public program as free, with donations appreciated, and asks visitors to RSVP.
What is “Anza 250”?
At 6:30 p.m., Presidio Theatre will host the world premiere of Anza 250: A Documentary Film. The film follows Professor Luis Valle as he retraces roughly 1,200 miles of Juan Bautista de Anza's expedition route by bicycle from present-day Sonora, Mexico, to San Francisco.
The Presidio lists tickets at $25. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with a raffle before the screening and a reception afterward. The theatre is at 99 Moraga Avenue.
Why is Sept. 17 the Presidio's 250th anniversary?
The Presidio Trust dates the founding of El Presidio de San Francisco to Sept. 17, 1776. The anniversary therefore marks 250 years since establishment of the Spanish military post, not 250 years of human history at the site.
That distinction matters in a place whose history spans Indigenous stewardship, Spanish and Mexican colonial periods, the U.S. Army and today's national park site.
How do you get to the Presidio anniversary events?
The Presidio lists the 43 Masonic as a Muni route serving the Presidio Transit Center. The free Presidio GO shuttle also serves the park.
For the evening film, the Presidio Theatre page directs Presidio GO riders to the South Hills route and the Pershing Square stop. Paid parking is available in lots around the Main Post.
Can you do the free program and the film on the same day?
Yes. The last Chapel program is scheduled from 3 to 4 p.m., while doors for Anza 250 open at 5:30 p.m. Both venues are in the Presidio, leaving time between the afternoon commemoration and the evening screening.
Anyone attending only the daytime programs can participate without buying a film ticket. Anyone attending the film should use the theatre's ticket link because the evening program is not free.
Related: The Presidio also hosts a free public telescope night on Sept. 19.
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