Historic California
Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields
Camp Merriam
(San Francisco)
Named after Brigadier General Henry C.
Merriam, then Commanding Ceneral of the Department of California.
Located on the hills just north of the Lombard Street entrance
to the Presidio of San Francisco, Camp Merriam was established
in 1898 to quarter and train volunteer soldiers from California,
Iowa, Kansas, and South Dakota for service during the Spanish-American
War. The living conditions at Camp Merriam were considered by
the troops to be far superior to those at Camp
Merritt, located just south of the Arguello Boulevard Gate.
About 10,000 men were encamped there. The area of the camp was
quite limited and the troops were somewhat crowded. The water
supply was good. As soon as it was understood that the force
was to be increased Camp Merritt was established near the northern
boundary of the Golden Gate Park and the troops from Camp Merriam
moved to that place.
·
Near the Lombard Gate, at the junction
Of Lincoln and Roger is a marker identifying the area as the
location of Camp Merriam's great tent city. Two old bronze cannons
made in Spain in 1783 are located outside the Presidio's main
gate. Captured by United States forces during the war with Spain,
they bear inscriptions identify them as "Arms of Charles
lll" of Spain.