In 1960, Candlestick Park opened as home to the MLB's San Francisco Giants and was renovated and enclosed in 1970 to accomadate the 49ers. The name honors its location on the San Francisco Bay at Candlestick Point which was originally a pinnacle of rock (that disappeared in the 1920s) first noted by the De Anza Expedition in 1781.

Candlestick hosted seven NFC Championships, four of which led to the 49ers' Super Bowl victories in the 1981, 1984, 1989 and 1994 seasons. In their first Championship game on January 10, 1982, 49ers fans witnessed "The Catch," an iconic NFL play in which quarterback Joe Montana threw a last moment pass to Dwight Clark who leapt and caught the ball with his fingertips to make a touchdown. This tied the game and the extra field goal point gave the 49ers a victory which also marked the beginning of thier dominance in the 1980s.

In 2013, the 49ers played their last game at Candlestick and defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 34-24. The 49ers moved into Levi's Stadium the following season and, in February 2015, the demolition of Candlestick began.