Golden Gate - Crissy Field Marsh & Beach - San Francisco, CA
Posted by: 
DougK
N 37° 48.313 W 122° 27.463
10S E 547736 N 4184342
From a waste dump to a thriving coastal habitat, Crissy Field has gone through an amazing transformation. This former military land is now a dynamic public open space that recreates the multi-layered natural and cultural history of the site.
Waymark Code: WMFAEB
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 09/19/2012
Views: 15
Originally an air strip and transport staging area for the military, Crissy Field is now includes fields for recreation, a restored wetland, and dramatic views of the Bay and Golden Gate. See the many pictures at the NPS website for
Crissy Field.
This project was inspired by the ancient 130 acre salt marsh system that flourished in the location for thousands of years. Prior to European settlement, the native peoples called the Ohlone used the estuary for harvesting fish and shellfish and lived in seasonal camps nearby, leaving behind shell middens on the site. When the Spanish arrived to El Presidio in 1776, they mostly ignored the tidal marsh, subsisting primarily through livestock grazing and agriculture. When the U.S. Army took control of the Presidio in 1846, the tidal wetland was considered a wasteland best suited for dumping and draining. The army used the filled-in marshlands for an airfield where important aviation history took place, including the first flight to Hawaii and the first Transcontinental flight. When the National Park Service assumed management of the Presidio in 1994, the area known as Crissy Field was a derelict concrete wasteland.
The San Francisco Bay is a habitat in peril. Less than 10% of the original coastline remains, and is heavily infested with invasive plants and exotic animals. The work done at Crissy field was like a giant band aid, peeling back the concrete and creating a living swath in which to heal. The restored marsh and dunes provide habitat for wildlife that have not existed in the Presidio for over a century.
Crissy Field Marsh & Beach are part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area