MONTEREY/CARMEL HISTORY-Their Discovery

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(Excerpted from my book Our Summer in Carmel Amazon.com)

From Carbrillo's misadventures in 1542 more than fifty yeas would pass before Spain would pay any attention to his expedition. Events on a larger scale prodded Spain into action. By the close of the 16th Century, Spain was engaged in extended trading between Mexico and its outpost in the Philippines, Manila. But their treasure laden ships were exposed to attack, particularly by the English, and the likes of Sir Francis Drake. Drake had already landed not far north of present day San Francisco, and claimed the entire Pacific coast for Queen Elizabeth. Something had to be done. Officials in Mexico decided it was time to organize an expedition for the specific purpose of surveying the California coast. The man chosen was Sebastian Vizcaino (Vis-Cane-nyo) an experienced seaman who, like Carbrillo before him, invested much of his own money in the adventure. He sailed from Acapulco on 5 May, 1602, sixty years after Carbrilo, with three ships, 200 men, and three Carmelite Friars. (Aha, you say. ites! The plot thickens)

After six months (it took Carbrillo three) Vizcaino reached San Miguel and renamed it San Diego in honor of the saint. He did the same in renaming Bahia de los Humos San Pedro at present day Los Angeles, thereby wiping out Carbrillo's contribution to famous place names. Sorry Carbrillo, no copyright laws in those days. The coastal mountains below Monterey were named Santa Lucia, after another catholic feast day. Those three Carmelite Friars were hard at work on the Catholic Calendar of Saints and Feast days, in case something new developed any day. Well, something was about to happen. On the 15th of December, the party passed a pine-covered headland jutting out into the sea which they named Punta de Pinos. Not long afterwards they saw, for the first time Monterey Bay.

The next day, all three ships entered the calm waters that Vizciano named Monterey, in honor of the Viceroy of New Spain, The Conde de Monte Rey. Was Vizcaino a bootlicker? Not really, it was good job security back then to name places after your boss. Upon landing they found a landmark in a great oak tree, fresh water flowing from a stream nearby, and material to build a small nave. One of the Friars said mass under the great oak, and legend has it that at the end of the service, the fog lifted revealing the beautiful waters of the bay and the abundant forests beyond.

NAMING CARMEL. The day before leaving to return to Mexico, Vizcaino took an expedition to see what lay over the hill to south we now know as Carmel Hill on Highway 1. Thus on January 3rd. he discovered a river flowing into a smaller bay and named it Rio Carmelo, in honor of the friars who had accompanied him. It was payback time for the three monks. Little known is that the name Carmel River, dating from January, 1603, is one of the oldest place names in the United states.

I looked all around for the spot that Vizcaino landed on and held his service under the great oak. It is marked by a rock alongside a large parking garage and a tunnel exit diverting traffic around the bay. I doubt very many in Monterey even know of its existence. This important site was to play a role later for future explorers. It is equivalent to Plymouth Rock...the Plymouth Rock of the West Coast. But it has been shunted aside. What a shame. As Elysee said, lost between a rock and a hard place.

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Photos

VIZCAINO'S ROCK
An unworthy tribute