California Historical Landmarks in San Mateo County
California Landmark 25
Portolá Expedition Camp: October 30
Martini Creek at Foot of Montara Mountain
Half Mile East of Pacific Coast Highway
One Mile North of Montara
The Portolá Expedition of 1769 camped October 30 on a stream at the foot of Montara Mountain, which now blocked their way. Needing food badly, here the explorers found a plentiful supply of mussels. They named the camp El Rincón de las Almejas.
Citation from California Office of Historic Preservation
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