The building was constructed as an armory and arsenal for the United States National Guard in 1912 – 1914 and designed with a castle-like appearance in a Moorish Revival style . The Armory was built on part of the site of Woodward 's Gardens ( 1866 – 1891 ) , a zoo , aquarium , art museum , and amusement park which covered two city blocks , bounded by Mission , Valencia , 13th , and 15th Streets . The structure was built as a replacement for the old San Francisco Armory in the Western Addition , which had been destroyed by the 1906 earthquake . In addition to its role as an armory and arsenal , during the 1920s , it served as a venue for sporting events , such as prizefights
1906 earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
San Francisco Armory