Architecture: Colonial Revival (1880 - 1940)

Constructed on the Main Post in 1897, Building 105 served as an infantry barracks. Photo taken 1924-1938.

National Park Service, GGNRA

 

Colonial Revival is an umbrella term for the resurgence of the eighteenth-century east coast colonial architecture in a variety of styles including Georgian and Federal. Popular throughout the United States during the nineteenth century, the Colonial Revival style was adopted by the Army during the 1890’s. Favoring simple, clean lines with a minimal use of applied decoration, the goal of Colonial Revival was to evoke sentimentalism regarding the early history of the United States. This patriotic motif made the style particularly appropriate for an evolving Army base; the style was often used to imbue a sense of civic pride. The Montgomery Street barracks are good examples of the Presidio's Colonial Revival and are characterized by large symmetrical buildings which use prominent classical elements, such as pediments and columns, and materials including brick and white-painted wood trim.

 

Building 106, the band barracks, as it appears today. This building was constructed on the Main Post in 1909.

National Park Service, GGNRA

 

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