The Presidio Trust Nestled in the foothills of San Francisco, lies one of the United States most beautiful and historic national parks. Dating back to 1776 when Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza established the Presidio as a military garrison under commission of the government of Spain. In 1848 it was transferred by a treaty from Mexico, to the United States. The Presidio has played a major role in the settlement and defense of the West for more than 200 years. It served as a mobilization and embarkation point during several overseas conflicts, a medical debarkation center and a coastal defense for the S