Posted: August 27th, 2008

The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail marks the first overland route through Alta California connecting New Spain (in what is now Mexico) to San Francisco. The Trail runs through 1,210 miles of urban areas, rivers, deserts, oak woodlands, shorelines, grasslands, and chaparral. Along the Los Angeles River, the Trail links El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, the Los Angeles State Historic Park, and El Rio de Los Angeles State Park. A mural on the concrete banks of the River depicts abstract images of Anza and indigenous images.
Starting in Sinaloa and Sonora, New Spain (in Mexico) and ending in San Francisco, Anza, a Spanish Captain, led over 200 settlers from 1774 to 1776 to connect the three elements of the Spanish plan for colonization, presidios (military forts), missions (religious centers), and pueblos (civilian towns). Today the Anza Trail connects the 18th century to the 21st.
Read more about the Trail on the National Park Service
web site

Visit the Heritage Parkscape online and on flickr.

Learn more about Monuments, Diversity, and Democracy.