The Portuguese

The Portuguese. . , Portuguese people from the Azores, as well as mainland Portugal, have a long and honored history in California. The first Europeans to land on the West Coast of the new world were Portuguese. Joao Rodrigues Cabrilho explored the coast in 1542 and claimed the land for the King of Spain. Nuno da Silva was the pilot for Sir Francis Drake when Drake claimed the land for England in 1579. Sabastiao Rodrigues Cermenho in 1595 explored along the coastline that today is California., Portuguese were among the early missionaries, whalers, fisherman and gold seekers in California. Many of these settlers later turned to farming along coastal valleys., In the 1880's the number of Azorean Portuguese in California increased dramatically due to less expensive farmland. The newcomers went from laborers, to renters, to tenant farmers, to landowners. Portuguese were represented in the sheep industry and became prominent in dairying. Today, descendants are involved in all aspects of diversified farming in the San Joaquin Valley. It was in the Central Valley that John B. Avila successfully introduced sweet potatoes in the Merced area. , The Portuguese have contributed immensely to the discovery exploration, settlement, economics and cultural enrichment of California., Nos saudamo-lo We salute you, Lyle du Cheneaux , X Noble Grand Humbug, Estanislao Chapter 58 , E Clampus Vitus, Our appreciation to Dave, Rose and Crystal Vierra , Dedicated October 17, 2009 ,