The Plymouth Rock of the West Coast

Upon his return, he highly recommended the site for settlement and named it after the Viceroy of Spain, Conde de Monterey. It was not until the Russian threat of settlement on the California coast that the Spanish sent Captain Gaspar de Portola to explore the area and make a settlement at Monterey. Starting out from La Paz, Baja California in 1769, Captain Portola and his expedition traversed the devastatingly hot, dry, hilly desert of the Baja Peninsula and arrived at the harbor of San Diego on July 1, 1769.

However, of the three ships from La Paz that were to support Portola, only two had arrived at San Diego and the men on the ships were very sick. After weighing his options, Captain Portola decided to continue on his expedition with far fewer men than he originally had planned on using. He also brought along several Indians who were to blaze the trail for the Spanish and their mules. Without the help of the Indians, the travel would have been impossible. Even so, it took four months to arrive at the tip of the peninsula where they camped in San Pedro Valley.

Standing at the top of the 1,200-foot crest of Montara Mountain, Portola finally admitted that the group had somehow missed the port of Monterey. Their mission of finding Monterey Bay had been thwarted by poor maps that were 150 years old. Portola decided to return to San Diego, but first he would explore the territory here. After returning from a scouting trip, Sergeant Ortega reported the presence of a large body of water to the east of San Pedro Valley, where the men had been camping. Portola decided to see for himself the great body of water that Sergeant Ortega had described to him. This trip to the top of Sweeney Ridge proved to be a pivotal moment in the history of California. From the ridge he saw a better harbor than Monterey Bay. It was large enough to accommodate the entire Spanish Naval fleet with room to spare. It was a fabulous discovery for the Spanish. In years to follow, a mission would be established and the harbor would become the destination of thousands including the 49ers seeking gold in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The great city of San Francisco would rise around the Bay that Gaspar de Portola had discovered by accident in 1769.

Realizing the importance of Sweeney Ridge to the development of the West Coast, the Portola Discovery Site was dedicated on May 9, 1984, as a growing part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Hundreds of modern-day explorers trekked to the ridge on that special May day to witness the dedication. A mobile post office was set up, and pamphlets and postcards were given the authorized stamp of the United States government to commemorate this event. Amid much pomp and ceremony, U.S. Rep. Tom Lantos, D-San Mateo, extolled the virtues of the area and thanked the dedicated people who were responsible for saving this 1,047-acre historic site. With Sweeney Ridge now safely within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s boundaries, the development of houses or a freeway intrusion would forever be stopped. The people had spoken and would not be denied access to this beautiful and important historical site.

You too can visit the site any time of the year from San Bruno. Drive to the extreme western end of Sneath Lane, park your car, and pass through the gate. Here you can begin a most delightful journey through time. Take a jacket as it may turn cool. There is a well-maintained, moderately steep in places, asphalt road that goes a little over one mile to the top of this ridge.

Rediscovering the Peninsula appears in the Monday edition of the Daily Journal.