Juan Bautista de Anza was a Spanish explorer and colonial leader who is best known for leading the first overland expedition from Mexico to California in 1775. He was born in 1736 in the small village of Tubac, located in what is now the state of Arizona. His father, Don Juan Bautista de Anza, was a Spanish soldier and his mother, Maria de los Reyes de Anza, was a native of Tubac.
Juan Bautista de Anza was raised in a military family and was educated in the Spanish military system. He joined the Spanish army at the age of sixteen and served in the military for the next twenty-five years. During this time, he was stationed in various parts of Mexico and the American Southwest. He was also involved in several military campaigns against the Apache and Comanche tribes.
In 1774, Juan Bautista de Anza was appointed by the Viceroy of New Spain to lead an expedition to explore and colonize the northern regions of California. He was given the task of finding a route from Mexico to California that would be suitable for a large group of settlers. He was also instructed to establish a mission and presidio in California.
Juan Bautista de Anza and his expedition set out from Tubac in January of 1775. They traveled through what is now Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas before reaching the Colorado River. From there, they followed the river to the Gulf of California and then up the coast to San Diego. After a brief stay in San Diego, they continued north to Monterey, where they established the first mission and presidio in California.
Juan Bautista de Anza and his expedition returned to Mexico in 1776. He was rewarded for his efforts with a promotion to the rank of captain and was given the title of Governor of California. He was also given the task of organizing a second expedition to California in 1777. This expedition was successful in establishing several more missions and presidios in California.
Juan Bautista de Anza continued to serve in the Spanish military until his death in 1788. He is remembered as one of the most important figures in the history of California. His expedition opened up the region to Spanish colonization and helped to establish the foundations of the modern state of California. He is honored today with a statue in San Francisco and a national historic trail that follows the route of his expedition.