Typical Spanish Mission.
Presidio de San Bernardino, Arizona, was a Spanish fortress founded in 1776, located about 18 miles east of present-day Douglas, Arizona.
Irish mercenary Hugh O’Conor established it as part of a network of presidios and missions in present-day southern Arizona. The other missions were:
Presidio of San Ignacio de Tubac (1752-1776)
Presidio of Tucson (1775-1756)
Presidio of Santa Cruz (1776-1780)
However, these forts were constantly attacked by hostile Apache Indians and could not adequately protect themselves, much less build and protect any surrounding missions. Presidio de San Bernardino was abandoned just four years later, in 1780. In 1883, the United States Army established a temporary post at or near the Presidio site, known as Camp San Bernardino Springs.
The Presidio was also known as Presidio de San Bernardino de Terrenate, Fort San Bernardino, and Camp San Bernardino Springs.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated May 2025.
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