Cover image: Selena N.B.H. via flickr, CC-BY 2.0
About
The Presidio’s forest cover was planted by the Army in the 1880s, and Spire is a powerful symbol of its rejuvenation. The 130-year-old Monterey cypress are now reaching the end of their life, so in various parts of the park they are being slowly replaced with healthy young saplings.
Working closely with the Presidio Trust forestry crew in 2008, Goldsworthy selected 37 Monterey cypress trunks from trees felled at the site and meticulously fastened them together. Then, young cypress trees are planted around its 15-foot-wide base and will grow to obscure the sculpture someday. Ponder what metaphor the artist might have intended with this physical reality.
In June 2020, Spire suffered fire damage from an unknown cause. The Presidio Trust repaired the sculpture, added a cable fence, new signage, and wood benches.
Get going!Use the Get Directions button on the embedded map below.
Or, we recommend our Solitude & Settlements hike as a cool route to pass by Spire.
Goldsworthy’s other art:
Earth Wall, and Wood Line, but Tree Fall is closed to the public (accurate as of 15 Aug 2022)
