Last updated: September 16, 2022
Article
Women of the Presidio
NPS photo.
The Presidio is a fortified military settlement established by Spain in 1776. It became a Mexican outpost in 1822. During the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), the United States took control of the Presidio and use it as U.S. Army post. The fortification became one of the U.S. Army’s most important military posts on the West Coast.
It played an important role in the Spanish American War and the Philippine War. The Presidio was also used during World War II when it served as the base where the U.S. Army managed the evacuation and relocation of Japanese Americans and people of Japanese descent living on the West Coast.
NPS photo.
Women's Stories
The Presidio impacted the lives of many people throughout its long history, including Juana Briones and Eda Blankart Funston. While not born in the area, these women settled in the Presidio and witnessed many changes to the military post. A Mexican-American pioneer, businesswoman, healer, and landowner, Briones lived in the Presidio when it was a fortified military village used for farming and livestock grazing.
She established her own business selling milk, eggs and other goods. Funston, an accomplished musician, lived at the Presidio long after Briones, but she also made her mark. Married to a colonel stationed at the Presidio, Funston provided aid to soldiers and civilians injured in the earthquake that devastated San Francisco in 1906. She also directed a nurses' corps at the Presidio.
Learn more about the Presidio and the lives of Juana Briones and Eda Blankart Funston by exploring the pages below. Or discover more women’s migration and immigration stories.
Stories of the Women of the Presidio
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Presidio of San FranciscoDiscover the stories of the Presidio and its over 200 years of military history.
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Juana BrionesLearn about Doña Juana Briones de Miranda, a Mexican-American pioneer, businesswoman, healer, and landowner.
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Eda Blankart FunstonLearn about Funston and her life at the Presidio, including her efforts to help those injured in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.