Golden Gate National Recreation Area

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area was established in 1972 as a new urban park. A timely merging of political, economic, social and environmental forces, occurring in both the Bay Area and the country, paved the way for the creation of the park. Its very existence illustrates the power of the environmental conservation movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Here you can go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history from California’s indigenous cultures, Spanish colonialism, the Mexican Republic, US military expansion and the growth of San Francisco.

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area protects 82,027 acres of ecologically and historically significant landscapes surrounding the San Francisco Bay Area. It has been part of the homelands of Coastal Miwok and Ohlone people for thousands of years and still contains archeological sites and landscapes influenced by native land management. The park's resources are tremendously varied, ranging from dramatic natural landscapes to cultural and historic landmarks: redwood forests, land protecting endangered species, seaside recreation sites, lighthouses, shipwrecks, former prisons, successful Mexican and early American dairy farms, the U.S. Army's development of the Bay Area's expansive seacoast defenses, and elegant early 20th century recreational baths and gardens.

Much of the park is land formerly used by the United States Army. It contains eleven former Army posts whose military architecture and historic landscapes comprise the heart of the park. It encompasses 59 miles of bay and ocean shoreline and has military fortifications that span centuries of California history, from the Spanish conquistadors to Cold War-era Nike missile sites.

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is managed by the National Park Service and is one of the most visited units of the National Park system in the United States, with more than 15 million visitors a year. The park is also one of the largest urban parks in the world, with a size two-and-a-half times that of the consolidated city and county of San Francisco. It is not one continuous locale, but rather a collection of areas that stretch from southern San Mateo County to northern Marin County, and includes several areas of San Francisco. The park is as diverse as it is expansive; it contains famous tourist attractions such as Muir Woods National Monument, Alcatraz, Fort Point and the Presidio of San Francisco. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area supports 19 distinct ecosystems is also home to 2,000 plant and animal species.

About the Golden Gate National Recreation Area Poster

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area Poster is an original work by Robert Decker and features the iconic Golden Gate Bridge from Baker Beach looking across to the Marin Headlands. The poster measures 13″ x 19″ and is created in the style of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) of the 1930s and 1940s, posters are printed on “Conservation,” a 100% recycled, domestically produced (80 lb.) paper stock with soy-based inks. From start to finish, each poster is 100% American Made.

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Golden Gate National Recreation Area Artist Proofs are the first 25 posters pulled from each print run. They are numbered 1-25, and are dated and signed. Each print features the color bars used by the pressman to make sure that the print stays registered and colors stay consistent throughout the print run. Golden Gate National Recreation Area posters are 13″ x 20″.

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Golden Gate National Recreation Area Canvas Prints are printed on superior-quality, artist-grade canvas, designed for museum display and gallery exhibitions. This 350 gsm, acid-free canvas has a tight, natural weave which maximizes image quality, while also revealing the texture of an artist’s canvas. Golden Gate National Recreation Area canvas prints are available in three sizes: 16" x 24", 20" x 30" and 24" x 36", are shipped free and are ready to hang.

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