Anza's exploratory group camped near Rodeo at the mouth of the San Pablo Bay. The next day at noon, they stopped on a hill just west of the Carquinez Bridge and noted Mare Island and the Puerto Dulce (Suisun Bay). They continued to the Martínez area and camped near Concord. They reached the site of Antioch, and encountering impassable Tule marshes, headed south back towards Monterey.

Sites of Interest

A. Rodeo and Expedition Camp #99
Anza's men chased Tule Elk (Cervus elaphus nannodes) near Berkeley, and then continued north. On April 1st, the group camped at a small stream. Today, the campsite is at the conjunction of Parker and San Pablo Avenues and Rodeo Creek, a heavily industrialized area. A commemorative marker from the 1976 reenactment is on Parker Road between 4th and 6th Street in front of the post office in the town of Rodeo. The coast reminded Font of Sonora's Tierra Caliente (Hot Country).

B. Selby Open Space Area and Anza's Midday Stop
West of the Carquinez Bridge, their hillside vantage point can be reached via San Pablo Ave. through the East Bay Regional Park District's (EBRPD) Selby Open Space area across from Vista del Rio Road. A short, but steep, hike from the parking area takes you to the viewpoint. On April 2, 1776, Father Font notes, "…This Puerto Dulce [sweet harbor], indeed, is a gulf of fresh water, enclosed in a canyon by hills...In the bay and in front of the mouth there is an island [Mare Island]…" The location of the hill is close to 38º 03' 14" N, 122º 14' 37" W.

C. Adobes of Expedition Descendants near Camp #100
Located within the grounds of John Muir National Historic Site, the Vicente Martínez adobe provides interpretation of the passage of the Anza expedition and the subsequent Spanish and Mexican periods. The wife of Vicente Martínez was Guadalupe Moraga, a great-granddaughter of the San Francisco founder. While in Concord, one can visit the Salvio Pacheco Adobe (1870 Adobe St.) or the Don Fernando Pacheco Adobe (3119 Grant St. within Hillcrest Park). Juan Salvio Pacheco, a grandson of Anza recruit Juan Salvio Pacheco and his wife, María del Carmen del Valle, received a 5,000-acre Mexican land grant for service to his government. Fernando was their son.

D. Recreation Trails along Anza's Path
The East Bay Regional Park District's (EBRPD) multi-use 20-mile Delta de Anza Regional Trail commemorates the route of Anza's 1776 expedition and is marked as a component of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. An interpretive stop located on the eastern side of Willow Pass describes the Puerto Dulce. EBRPD manages hundreds of miles of trails including the Skyline National Recreation Trail. This trail, and the Bay Area Ridge Trail parallel Anza's route, although at a higher elevation so that they offer panoramic views of San Francisco Bay. At both the Carquinez Strait and Antioch / Oakley Regional Shoreline parks give a closer view. At the latter, Camp #101 is commemorated with a plaque placed on the edge of the shore on the east side of the fishing pier. Near this camp on April 3rd, there was a friendly exchange with members of a Bay Miwok village.

On the CD: The Bay Miwok

Anza and the small band of soldiers explored the East Bay, camping near Rodeo at the mouth of the San Pablo Bay. On April 2, 1776 natives were encountered in Contra Costa County near Rodeo, and Font describes a rather long stick split in the middle. The stick was an Ohlone clapper stick, and the natives were from a large east bay Chocheno village. Anza and his men continued to the village, and were presented with gifts. As the soldiers left, the Chocheno followed after them with their singing and dancing, which Font interrupted by chanting the Alabado (see below to listen to Alabado MP3 file) and they responded in a higher key, as if they wished to respond to the chant. Traveling to the future site of Antioch, Anza's group began their journey south back towards Monterey. On April 3, Father Font writes, "…we came to a good-sized village, whose Indians, who in color and all other respects are like the rest, welcomed us as friends although timidly…We stopped for a while at this village, whose huts were not of grass and dilapidated like those we had seen during this journey, but "rather large, round, and well made, like those of the [Chumash] Channel…The commander made an effort to please the Indians, giving them glass beads to dispel their fear." Font goes on to tell that some of the native women and children jumped into the water into well made boats made of tule (reeds). The native men remained outside talking rapidly. One man put out a long pole with feathers on the end, and a long strip of rabbit skin hung from it like a banner. This was taken as a sign of peace. We can not know what was said, but according to linguist Dr. Catherine A. Callaghan, the tribe was likely the Julpun group of the Bay Miwok tribe, and some of their words are:

Miwok		English
Julpun		neighbor place		Play MP3 file of The Bay Miwok narrated by Catherine A. Callaghan (playing time 1 min. 17 sec.) Play MP3 file of The Alabado performed by John Warren (Chant) Calicanto (Choral) Lance Beeson (Guitar) (playing time 3 min. 43 sec.)
olé		coyote
kik·u		water
kik·u maaye		water lady
weno		medicine
weno mayo		medicine person
hoowok		beads
'oyya		relative
hoy·u maaye		first lady
helwash		top person
yayeume		talk
yayeumekay		talker

Additional Resources

Rodeo is an unincorporated town in Contra Costa County;
web: rodeoca.org


John Muir National Historic Site and Martínez Adobe - 4202 Alhambra Ave., Martinez, CA 94553-3883;
tel.: 510-228-8860,
web: nps.gov/jomu


Contra Costa Historical Society - 610 Main St., Martinez, CA 94553;
tel.: 925-229-1042
web: cocohistory.com


Salvio Pacheco Adobe - 1870 Adobe St. (at Salvio St.), Concord, CA 94519;
Fernando Pacheco Adobe - 3119 Grant St., Concord, CA 94519;
tel.: 925-671-3000,
web: cityofconcord.org/
about/historicalbldgs.htm


Moraga Historical Society Library - 1500 St. Mary's Rd., Moraga, CA 94556-2099;
tel.: 925-377-8734,
web: moragahistory.org


Lindsay Wildlife Museum - 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek, CA 94597;
tel.: 925-935-1978,
web: wildlife-museum.org


Delta de Anza Regional Trail and East Bay Regional Park District - P.O. Box 5381, Oakland, CA 94605-0381;
tel.: 925-625-5479,
web: ebparks.org