In 1775 an expedition of settlers was formed, headed by captain Juan Bautista de Anza, which explored and opened one of the routes to Alta California, establishng the city of San Francisco, California.
Arizpe | Ramos Arizpe |
They crossed the lower Colorado River in Cocopa territory to avoid the Yumas, then the Tinajas Altas, then turned northeast to reach the Gila River where he encounted some villages of freindly Halchidhomas, then continued up the Gila through Cocomaricopa and Pima territory and reached Tucson twelve walking days after leaving Santa Catalina and then continued on to Arizpe.
Juan Bautista de Anza was born in Fronteras, Sonora, Mexico in 1736 (near Arizpe), into a military family living on the northern frontier of New Spain.