In 1776, a multi-ethnic group of families completed an epic, 1900-mile journey at the mouth of San Francisco Bay. These 240 men, women, and children -- the first Spanish settlers to come overland into California -- forged a path through history and laid a cultural foundation for the American West.
Juan Bautista de Anza led the expedition from present-day Sonora, Mexico, through Arizona, and north along the California coast to establish the presidio and mission of San Francisco. The colonists were aided in their journey by Native American communities that would be forever changed by their arrival. Today, our nation commemorates the legacy of the Anza expedition through the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.
This film was released in 2012 and is a production of the National Park Service and Environmental Exchange. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/juba