By Roy Morlidge / Beat Staff Writer

Located along the San Francisco Presidio’s border with the San Francisco Bay, one can find a beach, a tidal marsh, a wharf, and an open field. While these may also sound completely unrelated, they are in fact the remnants of one the base’s most important historical landmarks. Though seeing many changes during its time, Crissy Field is today a great place to visit if you’re looking to unwind.

Originally the area that is known as Crissy Field did not exist.  In fact it would be part of the San Francisco Bay until 1915 when it was filled in for the Pan-Pacific Exposition. After the fair, the land was taken over by the Army and after brief service as barracks during wartime, was converted into an airfield in 1919. Crissy Field was named in 1921 by Major Henry “Hap” Arnold, later 5-Star General, in honor of his late friend, Major Dana H. Crissy. A West Point graduate and later teacher, Crissy had previously served at the Presidio of San Francisco as an artillery officer before transferring into the aviation section of the United States Signal Corps. In October 1919, Crissy, then command of Mather Air Field in Sacramento, took part in the Army’s first Transcontinental Reliability and Endurance Test. On October 8, 1919, the first section of the race, Maj. Crissy and his observer, Sergeant 1st Class Virgil Thomas, were both killed when their plane crashed outside of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Interestingly, Maj. Crissy rests not very far away from the field that honors him. After his death, his body was returned to San Francisco and buried with honor at the San Francisco National Cemetery. Today, you can visit Maj. Crissy at Section OS, Row 98, Grave 5.

There are actually four distinct sections of the field you can visit, each having something special to claim as their own. The first area you will probably see on the eastern most side of Crissy Field is the East Beach. Here you can sit out and take in the sun or go for a refreshing dip into the cool bay waters. Just off shore, you may see windsurfers skipping along the waves.

After the beach, you will next find yourself on the trail that takes you straight through the restored tidal marsh. Fenced off for obvious reasons, restoration of the marsh began in 1999 and today, according to the Crissy Field Center, many species of bird, fish, and native plants now call this area home. Looking upon the landscape, you can get a small taste of what this region of San Francisco once was before European settlements came to the region.

Next up one will find the historic airfield. Crissy Field was first used as an airstrip in 1921 and would remain in active service as such until 1974. This field would be part of many firsts in aviation including the first dawn-to-dusk transcontinental flight in 1924 and the first flight from the United States to the Hawaiian Islands in 1925. Today the field is open for people to come out and just enjoy the sun and weather while taking in the sights of the Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Point. Up the hill on Lincoln Blvd, one can find a great vista point overlooking the old field.

On the western most point of Crissy Field and closest to Fort Point is the West Point Picnic Area. Here you can find the Warming Hut to get yourself a healthy meal. Also here is Torpedo Wharf which is an excellent place for fishing, and given that it is so close to the Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Point, is also probably one of the most scenic locations to fish in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Finally, don’t forget to Crissy Field Center located at 603 Mason Street. Open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, the center serves to educate visitors about the environment. In addition, one can also find a bookstore and get a healthy meal.

Crissy Field is a great place to visit for a number of reasons. First off, it is a great place to just get out and walk. Exercise is great for the body and the field provides plenty of space to do just that. This also goes for dog walkers looking for a place to take man’s best friend for his exercise. Nature lovers on the other hand may find the protected marsh as something worth coming to see. Want a little more action, try kite flying in the ever present ocean breezes or casting a line down at Torpedo Wharf. On hot days others may find the beaches of Crissy Field a well needed relief whether you just want to cool down or get in some windsurfing. Finally, the historical aspect of the field’s history will make it a worthwhile place for the history buff to experience.

Online Resources:

Google Map: Crissy Field

Crissy Field Online