Gaspar de Portolá

In thisSpanish name,the first or paternalsurnameisde Portoláand the second or maternal family name isRovira.

Gaspar de Portolá
Governor of the Californias
In office November 30, 1767 – July 9, 1770
Monarch	Charles III
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Pedro Fages
Personal details
Born	Gaspar de Portolà i Rovira January 1, 1716 Os de Balaguer,Catalonia
Died	October 10, 1786 (aged 70) Lleida,Catalonia
Resting place	Lleida, Catalonia
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Spain
Branch/service	Spain Army
Rank	Captain

CaptainGaspar de Portolá y Rovira(January 1, 1716 – October 10, 1786) was aSpanish Armyofficer and colonial administrator who served as the firstgovernor of the Californiasfrom 1767 to 1770. Born inCataloniainto anaristocratic family,he is best known for leading thePortolá expeditionintoCalifornia,which laid the foundations of Spanish rule in the region Californian cities likeSan DiegoandMonterey,and bestowed names to geographic features throughout California, many of which are still in use.

Early life

Monument to Portolá inBalaguer,Catalonia.

Gaspar de Portolá y Rovira was born on January 1, 1716 inOs de Balaguer,Cataloniainto a family of minorSpanish nobility.After he came of age, Portolá joined theSpanish Army,being commissioned as anensignin 1734 in alieutenantin 1743. He saw service inItalyduring theWar of the Austrian Successionand participated in theSpanish invasion of Portugalduring theFantastic War.Following theexpulsion of the Jesuitsfrom theSpanish Empire,Portolá was tasked with removing theJesuitsfromSpanish missions in Baja California.He then ensured the missions were turned over to theFranciscansand later to theDominicans.

Expedition to Las Californias

Main article:Portolá expedition

Further information:Timeline of the Portolà expeditionandThe Californias

Spain was driven to establishmissionsand other outposts on the Pacific Coast north of theBaja California Peninsulaby fears that the territory would be claimed by foreign powers, in addition to its Catholic proselytizing mission and insatiable need for additional sources of income. TheBritish,who had establishedseveral colonieson the East Coast of North America, had also sent explorers into the Pacific. Russian fur hunters were pressing east fromSiberiaacross theBering Straitinto theAleutian Islandsand beyond.

Map of thePortolá expedition

Dispatches of January 23, 1768, exchanged between King Carlos and the viceroy, set the wheels in motion to extend Spain's control up the Pacific Coast and establish colonies and missions atSan Diego BayandMonterey Bay,which had been discovered and described in reports by earlier explorersJuan CabrilloandSebastián Vizcaíno.Vizcaíno had mapped the California coastline as far north as Monterey in 1602, but no significant Spanish settlement or even trading station had followed because those earlier explorations had failed to find a good harbor that the Spanish could have used for their long-standing Pacific maritime trade between Asia and Mexico: the Monterey Bay, sighted by both Cabrillo and Vizcaíno, was exposed to rough currents and winds.

In May 1768, the Spanish Visitor General,José de Gálvez,began to organize anexpedition,by sea and by land. Portolá was created "Governor of the Californias" and given overall command.Junípero Serra,leader of the expedition'sFranciscanmissionaries, took command of spiritual matters. Sea and land detachments were to meet at San Diego Bay.

Portolá expeditionmonument inPacifica, Californiahonoring Portolá's first sighting ofSan Francisco Bay.

The first ship, theSan Carlos,sailed fromLa Pazon January 10, 1769 and a second, theSan Antoniosailed fromCabo San Lucason February 15. At the same time, the various elements of the land parties began to move north fromLoreto, Baja California Sur.The land expedition was assembled at Velicatá, where Serra established his first newmission.From there, Portolá's plan called for splitting the land expedition in two. The lead group, charged with building a wagon trail and pacifying the natives, was led by CaptainFernando Rivera y Moncada,and departed from Velicatá on March 24. With Rivera was the priestJuan Crespí,diarist for the Franciscans. The expedition led by Portolá, which includedJunípero Serra(the President of the Missions), along with a combination of missionaries, settlers, and leather-jacket soldiers, includingJosé Raimundo Carrillo,left Velicatá on May 15. Junípero Serra founded two more missions during the expedition:San Diego de Alcaláon July 16, 1769 andMission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmeloon June 3, 1770.

Rivera reached the site of present-daySan Diegoin May, established a camp in the area that is nowOld Townand awaited the arrival of the others. Because of an error by Vizcaíno in determining the latitude of the San Diego Harbor, the ships passed by it and landed too far north before finding their way back. TheSan Antonioarrived on April 11 and theSan Carlos,the first ship to leave La Paz, having met with fierce winds and storms on the journey, arrived on April 29. A third vessel was to follow with supplies, but it was probably lost at sea. The land expedition of Portolá arrived on June 29. After their arduous journeys, most of the men aboard ship were ill, chiefly fromscurvy,and many had died. Out of a total of 219 who left Baja California, little more than 100 now survived.

Monument to Portolá inSant Esteve de la Sarga,Catalonia.

Eager to press on toMonterey Bay,Portolá and his expedition, consisting of Juan Crespí, 63 leather-jacket soldiers and 100 mules loaded down with provisions, headed north on July 14, 1769, marching two to four leagues (1 league = 2.6 miles) a day. The expedition recorded anearthquakeon July 28 at theSanta Ana River.On July 29 they reached the site of present-dayFullerton, CaliforniaatHillcrest Park.On July 30, the expedition crossed thePuente Hillsat a pass inLa Habra(North Harbor Boulevard). They moved north-west to theSan Gabriel River(nearEl Monte) where they built a bridge to cross over. This bridge ('La Puente' in Crespi's diary) is remembered in the name of today's nearby city ofLa Puente.They arrived in what is nowLos Angeleson August 2,(where theLos Angeles Riverand Arroyo Seco river meet). The following day, they marched out the Indian trail that would one day becomeWilshire Boulevardto the present site ofSanta Monica.Winding around to the area of laterSaugus,now part ofSanta Clarita,they reached the area to becomeSanta Barbaraon August 19, and the present daySan Simeonarea on September 13. Unable to remain on the coast due to the steep, difficult terrain, the party turned inland. They marched through the San Antonio Valley and on October 1, Portolá's party emerged from theSanta Lucia Mountainsand reached the mouth of theSalinas River.

The famousEstracto de Noticiaswritten by Portolá in 1770 is the first published account of Spanish settlements inCalifornia.

After a march of some 400 miles (640 km) from San Diego and about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from Velicatá, they had reached the bay they were seeking. But they failed to discern the coastline's semi-circular shape, described by Vizcaíno as round like an "O", even though members of the party had twice marched along its beach. Having failed to find their goal, they marched on north and reached the area at the north end of the bay, where Crespí named a creekSanta Cruzon October 18. Pushing on, they reached a creek in the present day town ofPacificaon October 31.

On November 4, having crossed the low coastal mountain range above the creek, the party was stunned to catch a glimpse of the enormousSan Francisco Bayfrom the mountain range, as the bay was previously unknown to the Spanish. This sighting was crucial to the later settlement of California because unlike Monterey Bay, it was surrounded by land on all sides except the Golden Gate, and thus it was not exposed to rough ocean currents as was the Monterey Bay, which had been known to the Spanish since Cabrillo's exploration in the sixteenth century. Despite the earlier explorations of Cabrillo and Vizcaíno, and despite two centuries of Spanish sailing the Pacific for trade between Asia and Mexico, the San Francisco Bay had been missed because of the fog that frequently shrouded its entrance. If the San Francisco Bay had been discovered earlier, the region surrounding would have been settled by the Spanish earlier since it would have provided a safe, convenient harbor for Spain's Pacific maritime trade.

Portolá's party then headed back to San Diego, exploring and naming many localities in the region south of what eventually became known as theGolden Gate.Surviving on mule meat for most of the journey, they arrived on January 24, 1770.

On their way past Monterey Bay they again failed to recognize it as the same bay that Vizcaíno had described in 1602.

Second expedition

Monument to Portolá atMontjuïc CastleinBarcelona,by Catalan sculptorLluís Montané i Mollfulleda.

Plaque honoring Gaspar de Portolá at theCastle of Pradell de Sió,his family's ancestral home inPreixens.

One of Portolá's officers, Captain Vicente Vila, convinced him that he had actually been exactly on the Bay of Monterey when he placed his second cross at what later becamePacific Grove.After replenishing supplies at San Diego, Portolá and Serra decided on a joint expedition by land and sea to again search for the bay and establish a colony if they were successful. TheSan Antoniosailed on April 16, 1770. On board were Serra, Miguel Costansó, military engineer and cartographer, and Doctor Pedro Prat, army surgeon, along with a cargo of supplies for the new mission at Monterey. On April 17, after mustering what forces he could, Portolá's land expedition, which included lieutenantPedro Fages,12 Spanish volunteers, seven leather-jacket soldiers, five Baja California Indians, twomuleteers,andJuan Crespíserving as the expedition's chaplain, again marched north.

The expedition followed the same route they had the previous winter while returning to San Diego. After 36 days on the road, with only two days of rest, Portolá arrived at his second cross on May 24, 1770. He then saw that on a clear day and from a certain point of view the round harbor assumed the proportions described by the earlier enthusiastic explorers. Having recognized the bay, a Mass was conducted near the oak tree that the Carmelite missionaries with Vizcaíno had worshiped under in 1603, and possession was officially taken. On June 3, 1770, they laid the beginnings of theMission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmeloand founded thePresidio of Monterey.

Later life

Governor Portolá's task was finished. He then left CaptainPedro Fagesin charge, and on June 9 he sailed forSan Blas,never to return to Upper California. In 1776, Portolá was appointed the governor ofPuebla.After the appointment of his successor in 1784, he was advanced money for expenses and returned to Spain, where he served as commander of theNumanciacavalry dragoon regiment. On February 7, 1786 he was appointed King's Lieutenant for the strongholds and castles of Lleida. He died that same year, in October.

Memorials

Twin statues of Gaspar de Portolá by Spanish sculptorJosep Maria Subirachs,located inArties, Catalonia(left) andPacifica, California(right). They were a gift to the people of California by theGeneralitat of Cataloniain 1988.

A 9 foot (2.7 m) statue inPacifica, Californiawas sculpted by theCatalansculptorJosep Maria Subirachsand his associate, Francesc Carulla. It was given to the people of California by theCatalan governmentin 1988. The statue was taken down on January 18, 2024, after years of complaint that the statue was honoring European colonization in the area.A ten-foot high oil-on-canvas portrait of Portolá byAlbert Herterin 1929 hangs in theLos Angeles Central Library'sHistory Room.

The city ofPortolainPlumas County,the town ofPortola ValleyinSan Mateo County,and thePortola neighborhood of San Franciscowere named after Portolà.

A number of schools in California were also named after him, including Portola Hills Elementary School inPortola Hills,Portola Elementary School inSan Bruno,Gaspar de Portola Middle School inTierrasanta,Portola Middle School inTarzana,Portola Middle SchoolinOrange,& Portola High School inIrvine.The school in Orange is close to the spot where the expedition crossed the Santa Ana River, and the school has a 60-foot mural depicting the Portolà Expedition.

Portola Parkway running through Irvine and Lake Forest (though not connected as of 2018), was also named after Portolà. It is said that Portolà used the same route Portola Parkway now runs across. Portola Drive, which runs parallel to and near the Monterey Bay shoreline, is the main street of thePleasure Pointarea ofSanta Cruz County.Portola Avenue is also a north-south street located inPalm Desertin theCoachella Valley.

In World War II, the United Statesliberty shipSSGaspar de Portolawas named in his honor.

Further information

• Alvarez, Jose Manuel Serrano."Gaspar de Portolá and Rovira".Real Academia de la Historia(in Spanish).
• Crespí, Juan; Alan K Brown (2001).A Description of Distant Roads: Original Journals of the First Expedition into California, 1769–1770.San Diego: San Diego State University Press.ISBN1-879691-64-7.
• Howgego, Raymond John, ed. (2003). "Portola, Gaspar de".Encyclopedia of Exploration to 1800.Hordern House. pp. 853–854.ISBN1875567364.
• Nuttall, Donald A. (1971). "Gaspar de Portolá: Disenchanted Conquistador of Spanish Upper California".Southern California Quarterly.53(3): 185–198.doi:10.2307/41170367.JSTOR41170367.

External links

• Biography of Gaspar de PortoláArchived2009-05-03 at theWayback Machineat the San Diego Historical Society website
• Early Exploration of San Diego: 1542 to 1769at the California History & Culture Conservancy website (archived)
• Portolá's History and StatueinPacifica, California(archived)
• Spanish exploration of the Northwest Coast of North Americawebsite article (archived)
• Sweeney Ridge, Golden Gate National Recreation AreaPortola Discovery Site in San Mateo County, California