Anza expedition celebrates 250th anniversary in San Francisco

June 27, 1776, was a momentous day for the Bay Area, California, and the world as 240 men, women, and children arrived mostly by foot from Mexico to what is now called San Francisco to set up camp and lay the groundwork for the future.

The “traveling village” is known as the Anza Expedition.  

On Saturday, the 250th anniversary of the event was commemorated on Pershing Square at the Presidio of San Francisco in a two-hour ceremony.

The celebration opened with piercing fifes and thundering drums from the Young Patriots Fife & Drum Corps from Pleasanton, as a nod to America’s quincentennial.

But it was then followed up by a Spanish hymn, sung by musicians, dressed in 18th-century Spanish Colonial attire, including the garb of soldado, vaquero, pioneers, military, and indigenous peoples. The song is known as “Alabado” and it was sung by the ancestors as they made their long journey to the Bay.  

 A proclamation on a scroll was then read with gusto by local actor Dane Andrew, who was portraying the Spanish trailblazer Lt. Colonel Juan Bautista de Anza.

The message was loud and clear: When it comes to history in the Bay Area, Spain swings a big sword.

 “People don’t realize in California our early Spanish history. While on the East Coast was becoming a brand-new U.S.A. was a small part. Actually, Spain owned a large part of the West Coast,” remarked Andrew.

 The Anza Expedition established the first reliable overland route from Mexico to what was then known as Alta California, claiming San Francisco Bay for the Spanish Crown.

In 1776, the expedition’s leaders established both the Presidio as well as Mission San Francisco de Asis, which is known today as Mission Dolores.

In the crowd, the direct descendants of those who traveled the long, arduous route, including 98-year-old Eddie Grijalva of Vallejo.  He was accompanied by his wife Lydia and her son Jeff.

 “What an honor to be here and to remember my ancestor,” exclaimed Grijalva.

The event was coordinated by the nonprofit Los Californianos. The nonprofit represents the direct descendants of those who were part of the Anza Expedition.  Its documented purpose includes efforts “to preserve the heritage of early Hispanic Californians in Alta California, to conduct research on genealogy, and to provide an accurate and authentic interpretation of Alta California’s history”

Carol Eber represents the group and is the co-chair of the event. She told us the group is thrilled to celebrate its heritage along with the quincentennial of the United States.

 “We have a celebration on the East Coast. We wanted to have the 250th celebration on the West Coast as well as recognizing history was made on both coasts,” noted Eber.

During the ceremony, the crowd recited the Pledge of Allegiance and heard from Superintendent David A. Smith, who is with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

There were also presentations from the Daughters of the American Revolution and a group called “Our American Patriots”. The keynote speech was delivered by Professor Damian Bacich. He focused on San Francisco’s Spanish-American Legacy.

Also on hand for the festivities, the Consul General of Mexico Marco Mena. Mena told CBS News Bay Area that this was his first visit to Presidio and found it beautiful. He was pleased to be invited.

 “The Anza expedition is very related to Mexico, especially to the states of Sonora and Sinaloa,” Mena explained.

As the Presidio ceremony was underway, a mass was said at Mission Dolores. The event concluded with a Roll Call, which was the reading of the names who those who walked on the route in 1776.

 Descendants, including Grijalva, placed a flower in a memorial wreath as children were asked to blow bubbles for expedition members named without descendants.   

Afterwards, participants went on docent-led tours of the Presidio’s Heritage Gallery and also were invited to tour the site of the Spanish Presidio Chapel.