Construction started in 1905 , just south of and adjacent to the Presidio , a former army base that is now a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area . Amenities unusual for residential developments of that time included electric street lights , underground utilities and roads designed for auto traffic . The neighborhood was developed by the firm of Baldwin & Howell , a leading San Francisco real estate development company . It thrived following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake as prosperous families rebuilt outside the destroyed neighborhoods in the eastern part of the city
1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Presidio Terrace