2026 WESTPEX THEME

The Golden City, San Francisco, is Still Young at 250

By Michael S. Turrini

WESTPEX® is proud to celebrate the 250th anniversary of San Francisco, the Golden City, as the theme for our 2026 show.

The Presidio of San Francisco (originally, El Presidio Real de San Francisco or The Royal Fortress of Saint Francis) has been a fortified location since September 17, 1776, when New Spain established the presidio to gain a foothold in Alta California and the San Francisco Bay.

The Mission San Francisco de Asís (Spanish: Misión San Francisco de Asís), also known as Mission Dolores, is located in the Mission District. The mission was founded on October 9, 1776, by Frs Francisco Palóu and Pedro Benito Cambón. The Franciscan Order sent two priests to the then-Spanish Province of Alta California to bring in Spanish settlers and evangelize the indigenous Ohlone people. The Ohlone provided most of the labor that built the adobe chapel.