Argonne Community Garden was started in 1975 and is one of the oldest and largest community gardens in San Francisco, with more than 100 gardeners. It was funded by a CETA federal grant allocated by the SF Arts Commission. CETA was inspired by the WPA programs of the '30s for artists to develop civic programs benefiting arts in the schools and other community projects, including gardens. San Francisco CETA programs became so popular that they became a model for CETA programs nationwide.

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Gardener Mary Ann Crandall found land for a community garden in the Richmond District at its current location next to Argonne Early Education School. During World War II, the land was a victory garden. Before that it housed stables. Gardeners have found horseshoes in their plots which can now be seen hanging in the tool shed in the southeast corner of the garden! Until recently, an iconic geodesic dome was used as a greenhouse. 
 

For more details about the garden’s early history, read Sue Vaughn's blog post from March 2009.