Juan Bautista de Anza

Juan Bautista de Anza (* July 1736 in Fronteras ( in what is now the Mexican state of Sonora ), † December 19, 1788 in Arizpe, Sonora ), was the first descendant of Europeans, of 1774 a land route from Mexico through the Sonoran Desert to California's Pacific Coast found.

Spanish conquerors had researched so far more than 200 years after such a compound. In the years 1775/76 Anza led on behalf of the new Spanish viceroy an expedition to the area of present-day San Francisco, which became the starting point of the colonization of the San Francisco Bay and should strengthen Spain's claim to Alta California.

Anza was born in 1736 in Fronteras in what is now the Mexican state of Sonora, the son of a product originating in the Basque Country in northwestern Spain Father. Anza came in 1752 at the age of 16 years in the army and served on the northern border of the then New Spain. In 1761 he married the daughter of a mine owner. The marriage remained childless. On exploration, which were primarily the settlement areas of the north adjacent living tribes, he discovered large areas of what is now Arizona.

1774 Anza led a small expedition from Tubac (now in Arizona, south of Tucson located ) to the San Gabriel Mission near the present-day Los Angeles. This completes the proof for a land route was performed. Anza immediately began planning a of colonization, which underline the claim of the Spanish crown to Alta California against Russian and British claims in the north and only recently discovered the bay of San Francisco should lead the fortress founded in 1770 ( Presidio ) of Monterrey.

On October 22, 1775 Anza went on a trek of 200 colonists and some missionaries and 1,000 head of cattle from Tubac from the nearly 2000 km long expedition, the first to the northwest of the area of Tucson and Gila Bend on the Colorado River in the tribal area Yuma led. Two missionaries remained at the Yuma and founded a small mission. From Colorado, the route of the expedition led westward through the Sonoran Desert to reach again in the San Gabriel Pacific coast. After several weeks of break, the train of the expedition turned along the coast to the north and finally reached Monterey. From there he began the study of the San Francisco Bay, which he first reached on 28 March 1776. Anza certain the building site for the fort and the mission, which were the beginning of the present-day San Francisco.

He himself returned before the start of the construction work to Mexico City, where he was appointed governor of New Mexico in 1777. In 1787 he returned to Sonora and back should be appointed as commander of the Presidio of Tubac in 1788, but apparently died before he could take office, in Arizpe, Sonora.

The land connection found by him remained intact until the outbreak of Yuma revolt of 1781. This time was sufficient to establish new settlements in Alta California. Later, the Anza- way for the military, settlers, drovers and prospectors served.

Others

In 1990, the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail was established. The road runs mostly asphalted from Tubac to San Francisco. Sections of the Historic Trails are created as hiking and bridle path.

After the Anza Anza- Borrego Desert was named that belongs to the crossed from his expeditions areas.