California Historical Landmarks in San Mateo County
California Historical Landmark 24
Portolá Camp: October 31
Pacific Coast Highway At Crespi Drive
Pacifica
 "California Historical Landmark #24: Portola Camp and Discovery of San Francisco Bay")
 "California Historical Landmark #24: Portola Camp and Discovery of San Francisco Bay")
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Captain Gaspar de Portolá camped October 31, 1769, by the creek at the south side of this valley and to that camp scouting parties brought news of a body of water to the east. On November 4 the expedition advanced turning inland here. They climbed to the summit of Sweeney Ridge and beheld for the first time the Bay of San Francisco.
State Registered Landmarks Nos. 24 and 394
Tablet placed by California Centennials Commission. Base furnished by County Board of Supervisors in cooperation with San Mateo County Historical Association.
Dedicated October 16, 1949
Portolá Expedition of 1769
Under orders from King Carlos III of Spain, Gaspar de Portolá i Rovira and Franciscan Father John Crespi marched north from San Diego on 14 July 1769 with sixty-three soldiers and one hundred mules.
Their destination was Monterey Bay, but they missed the fog-shrouded bay and instead became the first documented Europeans to see the San Francisco Bay.
Just seven years later, Spain founded Misión San Francisco de Asís on 29 June 1776.
The California Coastal Trail traces much of the route, and twelve California Landmarks in San Mateo County commemorate the expedition:
October 23: Mouth of Gazos Creek
October 24: Mouth of San Gregorio Creek
October 26: Tunitas Indian Village
October 27: Mouth of Purisima Creek
October 28: Mouth of Pilarcitos Creek
October 30: Martini Creek
October 31: San Pedro Creek
November 4: Sweeney Ridge
November 4: San Andreas Lake
November 5: Cañada de Andreas
November 6: San Francisquito Creek
November 11: Cañada de Reymundo