Today in History - Anza's San Francisco

Juan Bautista de Anza was a Spanish explorer born in 1736.  He is recognized as one of the great western trailblazers of the 18th century. Though little is know of him among most Americans, his achievments as an explorer are equal to those of Lewis & Clark, John Fremont and Kit Carson. 

Born and raised in Mexico, Anza joined the army at 17, rising to the position of Captain within 7 years. He was an exceptional military leader, known to have clever tactical strategies that were displayed in many battles with the Apache Indians.

In 1772, Anza made his first major exploratory journey northwest to the Pacific Coast. This expedition was so successful that it provided the first workable connection between the Mexican State of Sonora and northern California. Because of such an impressive venture the Mexican viceroy appointed Anza to return to California and establish a permanent settlement along the Pacific Coast at San Francisco Bay.

Side note - Spanish explorers had sailed the northern California coast during the 16th & 17th century but only discovered the natural harbor of San Francisco Bay in 1769. They knew the importance of the bay and the stragetic possiblities, yet it would take 7 years before Anza was sent to claim it.  

On March 28, 1776 Anza and 247 colonists arrived at the future site of San Francisco. Anza instituted a presidio, a military fort,  on the tip of the San Francisco peninsula. Six months later a Spanish Franciscan priest founded a mission near the presidio named in honor of St. Francis of Assisi (San Francisco de Asiacutes). 

San Francisco was the most northerly post of the Spanish Empire in America. For more than half a century it remained isolated and quite. In the 1830s the United States began to realize the great potential of San Francisco's natural harbor. During the Mexican War the U.S. took possession of California in 1848. At the time San Francisco was still a small town, population 900. That all changed a year later. 1849 brought gold rushers from all directions. By 1852 San Francisco had grown to more than 36,000 people.

Anza did not live to see his city flourish. After settling the presidio he returned to Mexico. In 1777 he was appointed governor of New Mexico. During this time he brokered a peace treaty with the Commanche Indians which brought their forces together against the Apache. In 1786 Anza retired as governor due to declining health and returned to his birthplace, Sonora. He died only two years later.
 

California has chosen to remember Anza throughout it's state. The US National Park Service has established the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, hiking the route Anza traveled exploring Las Californias (San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, Whittier, California). A building named Juan de Anza House in San Juan Bautista, California is a National Historic Landmark. In Riverside, a 20 foot statue of Anza stands on the corner of Market and 14th Streets. Another statue stands in Lake Merced Park, San Francisco. All along the Bay Area, streets, schools and buildings carry his namesake.

Gracias Señor Juan Bautista de Anza for founding such a beautiful city!