Rep. Jimmy Panetta introduces a bill to make Lower Presidio Historic Park a part of the National Park System.

Considering its long history of human habitation, going back at least 12,000 years, and the many significant historical events that occurred there, such as the arrival of Europeans explorers and the only land and sea battle on the West Coast, U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, has authored and introduced legislation to designate Lower Presidio Historic Park in Monterey as a national historic park. 

“On behalf of the City of Monterey, we express gratitude to Congressman Panetta for leading the effort to establish the Lower Presidio as a site of national significance,” Monterey Mayor Tyller Williamson said in a statement. “This designation ensures public access and preservation of the diverse history of this land, from its Indigenous roots and Spanish and American military eras to its role as a sacred ancestral homeland.”

The bill, known as the American Sovereignty and Monterey Historic Military Site Study Act, directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the park—located within the U.S. Army Garrison Presidio of Monterey and open to the public since 1996—no later than three years after the study is funded, regarding the best strategies to preserve and protect it moving forward and submit the findings to Congress for consideration. 

When a national historic park is established under the National Park Service, the agency is tasked with preserving and interpreting the historical and culturally significant components of the site. 

“The American Sovereignty and Monterey Historic Military Site Study Act would take the first step towards designating the site as a national historic park to provide the proper federal support to ensure that the land is preserved for generations to appreciate its historic significance,” Panetta said in a statement. “Through this legislation, we can begin the process of securing national recognition for the extraordinary legacy not just of the Lower Presidio Historic Park, but also of our home.”