Spanish Exploration & the Mission Era
Alta California's First Capital (1770–1822) · Monterey County
Spanish explorers arrived in Monterey Bay in 1542, but permanent settlement didn't come for over two centuries. When it did, Monterey became the beating heart of Spanish and then Mexican California — the seat of government, the port of entry, and home to the state's founding constitutional convention.
Timeline
Cabrillo Sails Past
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, sailing under the Spanish flag, becomes the first European to navigate the California coast. He passes what will become Monterey Bay, noting its immense size but not landing.[2]
Vizcaíno Names the Bay
Sebastián Vizcaíno anchors in the bay on December 16 and names it Puerto de Monterey after the Viceroy of New Spain, the Count of Monterey. He writes glowing reports of its harbor quality — reports that would be considered exaggerated by later visitors.[5]
Serra & Portolá Found Monterey
Father Junípero Serra and Governor Gaspar de Portolá establish a presidio and Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Monterey, making Monterey the capital of Alta California. Serra would later relocate the mission to Carmel to be closer to fresh water and away from the soldiers.[1],[3],[4]
Capital of Alta California
Monterey is formally designated the capital of Spanish Alta California. The Custom House, built in stages through the 1820s, becomes the port of entry for all goods entering California — today it is the oldest governmental building in California.[1]
Bouchard Raids Monterey
Argentine privateer Hipólito Bouchard attacks and burns much of Monterey with two warships, seeking to weaken Spanish colonial power. The raid lasts four days and is the only foreign attack on California soil during the Spanish era. Residents flee to the countryside and return to find the town largely destroyed.[4]
Then & Now
Archive photos paired with the same place today.
Visit these historical sites
Real places in our directory connected to Spanish Exploration & the Mission Era.
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Sources
Citations behind the dates, names, and numbers on this page.
- 1California State Parks — Monterey State Historic Park
Custom House, Presidio, and Royal Presidio Chapel founding dates.
- 2National Park Service — Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo NM (history)
Cabrillo’s 1542 California coastal voyage.
- 3National Park Service — Juan Bautista de Anza NHT
Spanish colonization of Alta California, Portolá/Serra expedition context.
- 4Wikipedia — Presidio of Monterey (historical)
1770 founding by Portolá and Serra; 1818 Bouchard raid.
- 5Wikipedia — Sebastián Vizcaíno
1602 naming of Monterey Bay for the Conde de Monterrey.