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The Portolá Cross overlooking Carmel Bay.
The Portolá Cross overlooking Carmel Bay marks one of the most memorable moments in early California history. It recalls the difficult expedition led by Captain Gaspar de Portolá and Father Juan Crespí as they searched for Monterey during Spain’s first efforts to colonize Alta California. For teachers, this story offers a fascinating way to explore exploration, geography, Indigenous California, Spanish colonization, navigation, survival, and the development of Monterey as one of California’s most significant historic places.
Why the Portolá Cross Matters
The cross is connected to the 1769–1770 Portolá expedition, the overland journey that helped Spain begin its colonization of Alta California. The expedition was sent north from San Diego to locate Monterey Bay and establish a presidio there. Instead, the party became confused, passed its destination, and eventually traveled all the way to San Francisco Bay before turning back south. The story of the Portolá Cross reminds us that California history was not always a smooth or certain process. It involved difficult travel, incomplete maps, unreliable descriptions, cultural encounters, illness, hunger, and moments of decision that shaped the future of the state.
From Vizcaíno to Portolá
In 1602, Sebastián Vizcaíno sailed north from Mexico and explored the California coast. His reports described Monterey Bay and the nearby Río del Carmelo and suggested that the area might be suitable for future settlement because of its harbor, nearby wood, and relative seclusion. Although Juan Cabrillo had mapped the coast decades earlier, Vizcaíno’s voyage provided more detailed reports. Later Spanish efforts to colonize Alta California relied heavily on those descriptions—some of which seem to have contributed to confusion when the Portolá expedition tried to identify Monterey in 1769.
A Brief Timeline
1602: Sebastián Vizcaíno explored the coast and reported on Monterey Bay and the Carmelo River.
1769: Gaspar de Portolá and Father Juan Crespí traveled north from San Diego to find Monterey and establish a Spanish settlement.
Late 1769: The expedition failed to recognize Monterey, continued north to San Francisco Bay, and then returned south.
December 1769: A large wooden cross was erected near the campsite with a buried message for the missing supply ship San José.
1770: Portolá returned, located Monterey, and Spanish settlement followed with the arrival of Junípero Serra.
Searching for Monterey
In 1768, Spain became serious about colonizing Alta California. The plan was to establish a presidio in San Diego and another at Monterey. In the summer of 1769, Portolá, Crespí, soldiers, Native guides, and muleteers headed north overland from San Diego while supply ships traveled by sea. One of those ships, the San José, never arrived. Unaware of its fate, the overland expedition continued north, trying to locate the harbor described by Vizcaíno. As the group moved through present-day central California, they misidentified places along the way and failed to recognize Monterey Bay when they finally reached it. Believing they were still south of their destination, they continued north until they eventually reached the San Francisco Bay area. Realizing they had gone too far, they turned back south toward Monterey.
A Cross, a Message, and a Second Attempt
By late November 1769, the expedition returned to the Monterey area in poor condition. Food was running low, and many in the party were suffering from illness and malnutrition. Believing they had still not found the correct harbor and unable to continue much longer, the group decided to head back to San Diego. Before leaving, they erected a large wooden cross near their campsite and buried a written message at its base for any passing ship—especially the missing San José. The message explained that the party was returning south and described their desperate condition. Portolá and Crespí returned in the spring of 1770. This time they better understood their earlier navigational mistakes. When they reached the Monterey area again, they found that one of the crosses still stood. According to the historical account, Native people had left signs at the cross, including mussels, arrows, and sardines. Soon afterward, on May 31, 1770, Father Junípero Serra arrived by sea aboard the San Antonio. The Spanish then moved forward with settlement in Monterey, beginning a new phase in California’s colonial history.
A Powerful Story for the Classroom
The Portolá Cross story can help students explore important historical questions, such as:
Why did Spain want to colonize Alta California?
How did geography affect exploration and settlement?
How reliable were maps, reports, and earlier descriptions?
What do this story and this place reveal about early California history?
How can historic places help students connect to history in a more meaningful way?
SOC 902
Monterey: Historic Capital of California
Learn more about the Portolá expedition and many other important people, places, and events connected to Monterey’s remarkable past in SOC 902. The course is completed online through a flexible independent-study format and provides three graduate-level professional development credits through Fresno Pacific University’s Center for Professional Development.
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History Comes Alive Through Place
The Portolá Cross is more than a monument overlooking the bay. It is a reminder that California history can be discovered through landscapes, historic sites, and the stories connected to them. For educators, places like this can turn history into something students can truly imagine, investigate, and remember.
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Jeromy Winter
Learn more about the History of California by signing up for one of my courses at Fresno Pacific University. 
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