Fremont in Alameda County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Paths Through a Varied Landscape
Anza Expedition of 1776
By Andrew Ruppenstein, June 4, 2020
1. Paths Through a Varied Landscape Marker
In 1775 and 1776, Lt. Colonel Juan Bautista de Anza and
Father Pedro Font led an expedition of 240 settlers, soldiers,
and others 1,800 miles from Sonora, Mexico to Monterey,
California to colonize the Bay Area. Anza and Font then led
a much smaller group to choose sites for the mission and
presidio in San Francisco, and to explore the East Bay.Alameda Creek, then a major waterway, flooded the land downstream from here. The surrounding marshes made traveling by horseback impossible, so the Anza Expedition instead rode north through these foothills, on paths most likely created by Indians who had lived here for some 13,000 years.
The lush grasslands covering the hills were dotted with
wildflowers and allowed the Expedition great views. The
forested streambeds were hard to navigate, though Anza
found an accessible crossing of Alameda Creek close to
this very spot on March 31, 1776.
Erected by East Bay Regional Park District.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Settlements & Settlers
Map courtesy of the John Carter Brown Libary, Brown University, June 4, 2020
2. Marker detail: Map of DeAnza route in vicinity of marker
"This section of Father Pedro Font's map of the expedition shows the route along the foothills in the southeast bay where travel was relatively easy."
Location. 37° 34.81′ N, 121° 57.888′ W. Marker is in Fremont, California, in Alameda County. Marker can be reached from Old Canyon Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fremont CA 94536, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Site of First Post Office (approx. 0.6 miles away); Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad (approx. 0.7 miles away); Vallejo Flour Mill (approx. 0.7 miles away); “The Bankers Building” (approx. ¾ mile away); Essanay Studio Site (approx. 0.8 miles away); Essanay Film Studio (approx. 0.9 miles away); Mormon Pioneers / Mormon Pioneer Adobes (approx. 1.3 miles away); Pioneer Schoolhouse & Chapel (approx. 1.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fremont.
More about this marker. The marker is located on the edge of the parking lot in the Niles Staging Area for the Alameda Creek Regional Trial, which is off of Old Canyon Road.
By Andrew Ruppenstein, June 4, 2020
3. Alameda Creek (taken from near the marker)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 21, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 21, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. This page has been viewed 58 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 21, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Photo of the marker within its surroundings. Better photo of marker. • Can you help?
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