Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail is a 1,210-mile (1,950 km) trail extending from
History
1st California Trip
On his return trip he retraced his path to the Yuma Crossing of the Colorado River and then went down the Gila River corridor until reaching the Santa Cruz River (Arizona) corridor and continuing on to Tubac, Arizona. The return trip only took 23 days as he now had found a trail with sufficient water to make land access to California possible. On the Gila River, he encountered several extensive villages of Pima (Akimel O'odham) Indians. These were a peaceful and populous agricultural tribe with extensive crops and irrigation systems located along the river.[3]
2nd California Trip
In Anza's second trip (1775–1776) he returned to California via the Gila River path he had discovered with 240 friars, soldiers and colonists with their families. They took 695 horses and mules, 385
In 1779, Father Francisco Garcés was assigned to establish a mission at Yuma crossing of the Colorado River. In 1780, the Spanish established two combination missions and pueblos at the Yuma Colorado River Crossing of the Anza trail: Mission San Pedro y San Pablo de Bicuñer and Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción. Both these pueblos and missions were on the California side of the Colorado River near the mouth of the Gila River but were administered by the Arizona authorities.
Later use
The settlement of
The second group, under Fernando Rivera y Moncada, took an overland route over the Anza trail 1,200 miles (1,900 km) through the desert from Sinaloa Mexico. They passed through the new missions on the Colorado River, Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción and Mission San Pedro y San Pablo de Bicuñer. The group arrived at the Colorado River in June 1781. Rivera y Moncada sent most of his party ahead, but he stayed behind to rest the livestock before continuing their drive across the desert. His party would never reach San Gabriel. In July, Rivera was killed along with the local missionaries, settlers, and travelers with them in the Yuma revolt of the Quechan Indians in 1781.
The
Modern touring
Along the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail route, visitors can experience the varied landscapes similar to those the expedition saw; learn the stories of the expedition's events, members, and descendants; better understand the
In 2005,
Designated sites
The National Park Service has developed a printed and online: Brochure Map for driving and guides for auto tours, hiking sections, and designated Historic sites, landmarks, and museums open to the public. Schedules of Anza celebrations and other historic events are on an updated NPS: What to Do-Events Guide. The detailed Anza Trail Maps by County show more points of interest, trailheads, and local lore.[1]
Growth
The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail project is growing as local, state, and NPS efforts establish more trails, signage, and interpretive programs. The Trail is inspiring activities at existing
See also
- Las Californias – 1786–1804
- Alta California – 1804–1848
- Spanish missions in California
- History of Arizona
- History of California through 1899
- Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert
- California Coastal Trail
References
- ^ a b c d http://www.nps.gov/juba/ de Anza National Historic Trail . 9/9/2010
- ^ "Tour Anza Historic Trail". CaliforniaResortLife. Retrieved 2015-12-24.
- ISBN 978-1-59714-026-3
- ^ Bancroft, Hubert Howe. 1886. History of California. 7 volumes. San Francisco: History Company." available one-line
- ISBN 978-0816529292