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The Juan Bautista de Anza Expedition of 1775-1776

Native people and Spanish colonization  250 Years Ago

While plans are afoot for a 250^th celebration of July 4, 1776, it is good to recall the unique and impactful Anza expedition which first brought non-Indian families to California in 1775-1776. This is an important 250^th year in Western history as well.

Juan Bautista de Anza organized and led 240 people with 1000 livestock from Sonora, New Spain to the San Francisco Bay, beginning the initial Spanish colonial settlements of Alta California. He located the San Francisco Presidio and Mission Dolores and, in March and April of 1776, explored the East Bay.  With him were the talented diarist and cartographer Padre Pedro Font and the capable Lt. Joaquin Moraga.

There were already many people in Alta California, an estimated 340,000 Indians speaking 100 distinct languages. Anza’s expedition used native trails and water sources, invaded Indian homelands and impacted over 75 tribes in his trip north. His skills as a military leader and his respectful experience with tribes in Arizona made possible the peaceful trek over the Yuma River, through deserts and mountains to the Pacific Ocean.

Padre Font was a compulsive writer and made keen observations about the country, the native peoples’ culture and the Spanish missions through which they traveled. As chaplain he performed marriages, heard confessions and baptized the babies born enroute. He gave Mass daily and led the travelers in singing the Alabado (a hymn of praise) each morning.

The Spanish invaded California because of concerns with Russian and English investigations of Alta California and points north. The Gaspar Portola and Padre Junipero Serra expedition in 1769 was their first effort to found presidios and missions along the coast. In 1772 Pedro Fages, Padre Juan Crespi and 17 soldiers came through the East Bay and the San Ramon Valley. Anza and Font visited the East Bay in March-April of 1776.

Next February the Museum, in collaboration with the National Park Service, will mount an exhibit featuring the Anza expedition in its 250^th year.  For more information about Anza and the National Historic Trail which extends from Nogales, Arizona to the San Francisco Presidio, visit the NPS web sites nps.gov/juba and anzahistorictrail.org.  For readers, the MuseumSRV store now offers an excellent book called The Anza Trail and the Settlement of California by Vladimir Guerrero.