| San Francisco National Cemetery (picture by Peter Watts) |  |
San Francisco National Cemetery
Photographer Description of San Francisco National Cemetery
San Francisco National Cemetery panorama taken from one of the rises in the cemetery overlooking the graves. This panorama shows just some of the 31,576 gravestones found here (as of 2007).San Francisco National Cemetery - Further Information
On 12th December 1884, the War Dept. designated 9 acres here at Presidio (Spanish for 'fort') to be the San Francisco National Cemetery and to include the cemetery area first used in 1854. A stone wall and some tall Eucalyptus and Monterey Cypress trees surround the 28.3 acre cemetery which gently slopes down a grassy hill overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. The cemetery retains it's wrought-iron entrance gates but they have been unused since the entrance was relocated. The lodge and rostrum were built during the 1920s and reflect the Spanish Revival style in reference to the key role Mexico played in the history of Presidio area.This site is administered by the National Parks Service and the the Veteran Affairs Dept of the US Government. Visitors are welcome between 7am and 5pm and guidance information is available on site. Points of interest for visitors include the G.A.R. Memorial (Grand Army of the Republic), the Pacific Garrison Memorial, the American War Mothers Monument and the Unknown Dead Monument. Amongst those interred here are 35 Medal of Honor recipients - the highest award for valor awarded to American Military personnel.
Address:
San Francisco National Cemetery
P. O. Box 29012
Presidio of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA 94129
Travel Directions and Getting There:
Bus: Mcdowell Ave & Cowles St (29), Graham St & Moraga Ave (29)
Car: From central [[1674,San Francisco]] take the 101 north to the [[2630,Golden_Gate_Bridge]]. Just before the bridge, turn off to the Vista Access and then onto Lincoln Blvd. If coming south on the 101 from [[2687,Marin Headlands]], turn off the highway just after the toll station onto Merchant Road. Follow signs to [[2696,Main Post]].