Presidio to be Honored by San Francisco Beautiful

Presidio of San Francisco (October 22, 2008) — With their spectacular, one-of-a-kind views of the Pacific Ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio’s Immigrant Point Overlook and Batteries to Bluffs Trail have quickly become favorite visitor destinations. This week, the two sites will receive an award from San Francisco Beautiful. The awards will be presented at the group’s annual dinner Friday, October 24, at 6 pm at the Mark Hopkins Hotel.

Dedicated to our nation’s newcomers, the stone plaza at Immigrant Point along Washington Boulevard offers sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and Marin Headlands. A recently completed extension of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail links Immigrant Point with the Presidio’s forested ridgetops. A nearby picnic area offers a peaceful spot to take a break from a hike or a jog. Since it’s opening in 2005, Immigrant Point has served as the backdrop for a naturalization ceremony with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The overlook was made possible by a gift to the Presidio Trust from the Sarlo Foundation of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund.

A dramatic upgrade along the Batteries to Bluffs Trail allows Presidio visitors to experience the wild western shoreline as never before. In addition to picture-postcard views of the Golden Gate, the trail boasts sensitive habitat that supports rare and colorful plant and animal species. New access to Marshall’s Beach takes hikers to the water’s edge below. And trailheads near Battery Godfrey and Battery Crosby present a “living museum” of coastal defenses that span a century’s worth of military history. The trail was completed in 2007 by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.

San Francisco Beautiful hands out its Beautification Awards each year to individuals, groups and businesses that improve the quality of life in San Francisco. The group was founded in 1947 to save the city’s then endangered cable cars. The theme of this year’s award is “Hilltop to Water’s Edge: The Unifying Power of Urban Beauty.”

The Presidio Trust was established by the United States Congress in 1996 to manage the Presidio of San Francisco, a former army base located at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. The 1,500-acre site contains the infrastructure of a small city as well as expansive open space, a 300-acre historic forest, spectacular views, and rare and endangered plants and wildlife. It comprises nearly 6 million square feet of buildings, including 469 historic structures that contribute to its status as a National Historic Landmark District, making it unlike any other national park. In establishing the Trust, Congress mandated that it make the park financially self-sufficient by 2013. The Trust is the only federal agency with this mandate.