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California Historical Landmarks in San Mateo County
 
Governor Schwarzenegger Terminating California State Park System
Click Here to Learn More
 
 
California Landmark 26
Portolá Expedition Camp
San Gregorio State Beach
Cabrillo Highway
10.8 Miles South of Half Moon Bay
 
California Landmark 26: Portolá Expedition Camp in San Mateo County
20 October 2004
 
California Landmark 26: Portolá Expedition Camp in San Mateo County
20 October 2004
 
California Landmark 26: Portolá Expedition Camp in San Mateo County
12 January 2009

This plaque, after surviving a half century of Pacific storms, went missing sometime between 2004 and 2009, probably melted down to support an addiction.

(Click Photos to Zoom)

Portolá Camp

Captain Gáspar de Portolá and his party of Spanish explorers, journeying overland from San Diego in a fruitless search for Monterey Bay, camped here by San Gregorio Creek for a three day rest and treatment of their sick, October 24-26, 1769. Having missed Monterey, they later discovered San Francisco Bay instead.

Registered Landmark No. 26
Plaque placed by California Centennials Commission in cooperation with the County Board of Supervisors and the San Mateo County Historical Association.
October 16, 1949

Mouth of San Gregorio Creek
Mouth of San Gregorio Creek
12 January 2009
(Click Photo to Zoom)
The next jornada was a long one of four leagues, and [the Portolá Expedition] camp was on San Gregorio Creek. It began to rain and the command was prostrated by an epidemic of diarrhoea which spared no one. They now thought they saw their end, but the contrary appeared to be the case. The diarrhoea seemed to relieve the scurvy, and the swollen limbs of the sufferers began to be less painful. They named the camp Vane de los Soldados de los Cursos, and Crespi applied the name of Santo Domingo to it. Unable to travel on the 25th and 26th, but resuming the march October 27th, they pressed forward.

From The March of Portolá and the Discovery of the Bay of San Francisco by Zoeth S. Eldredge

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 Portolá's route, and twelve California Landmarks in San Mateo County commemorate the expedition:

 
October 23   Mouth of Gazos Creek (Bean Hollow State Beach)
October 24-26   Mouth of San Gregorio Creek (San Gregorio State Beach)
October ???   Tunitas Indian Village
October 27   Mouth of Purisima Creek
October 28-29   Mouth of Pilarcitos Creek (Half Moon Bay)
October 30   Martini Creek
October 31   San Pedro Creek (Pacifica State Beach)
November 4   Sweeney Ridge
November 4   San Andreas Lake
November 5   Cañada de Andreas (Upper Crystal Springs Lake)
November 6-10   San Francisquito Creek (Menlo Park)
November 11   Cañada de Reymundo (Pulgas Water Temple)
Some Missing California Plaques
Landmark 26   Portolá Expedition Camp   San Gregorio State Beach   San Mateo County
Landmark 437   Sailing Launch Comet   Lathrop   San Joaquin County
Landmark 777   San Joaquin City Site   Tracy   San Joaquin County
Landmark 780-7   Transcontinental Railroad   Lathrop   San Joaquin County
 
 
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