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In 1775, Captain Juan Bautista de Anza began recruiting soldiers and their families from areas that we know today as the states of Sonora and Sinaloa in Mexico. He ultimately recruited 191 colonists to undertake an arduous expedition to establish a presidio (fort) and mission near the bay recently named San Francisco.

On June 27, 1776, the colonists arrived. Most of the colonists who undertook this 1200 mile journey were the children of soldiers, and below the age of 15. Under the leadership of the Presidio's first commander Jose Joaquin Moraga, these families began building their homes and the surrounding fort, El Presidio de San Francisco, in the homeland of the Ohlone people, less than half a mile from the native village of Petlenuc. Years later, in 1835, the descendants of these and other colonists established the Mexican pueblo of Yerba Buena, which gave rise to a new American city called San Francisco.

Each year, we honor Presidio history at Pasados del Presidio, a two-day event held in and around the Presidio Officers' Club that brings to life the Presidio's Ohlone, Spanish, and Mexican heritage. Here are three ways you can participate in the 20th Anniversary of Pasados del Presidio:

1. Afternoon Fun for Kids

Calling all kids (okay – parents, too!) for an afternoon of hands-on fun and learning at Pasados del Presidio: Afternoon Fun for Kids, on Friday, June 28, 2019, from 12 to 3 pm. The day includes performances by Ballet Folklórico Mexicano and Ohlone dancers, and stories of the past with traditional costumes and character re-enactment. This is your chance to experience daily-life in Alta California – examine Ohlone artifacts, make a coyote mask, participate in tortilla-making, and so much more.

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2. Los Californianos Commemoration of the Anza Expedition

Each year, Los Californianos – descendants of the original founding families of the Juan Bautista de Anza Expedition – return to the Presidio to commemorate the journey of their ancestors and the founding of El Presidio de San Francisco. Come out to Pershing Square near the Presidio Officers' Club on Saturday June 29, 2019 from 10:30 am to 12 pm to hear remarks from Los Californianos, a procession by the Amigos de Anza horse mounted riders, and a roll call of the people who made the difficult 1,200+ mile exhibition from what is now Mexico.

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3. Special Guided Tours

Learn about Captain Juan Bautista Anza, the settlers and animals who traveled on the colonial expedition, and the indigenous Ohlone people they encountered on arrival during our one hour special guided tours of the Presidio Officers' Club. You'll see artifacts focusing on the cultures of early Alta California, including the adobe walls of the early Spanish fort and the ancient Spanish cannons made in Peru in the 1600s that defended El Presidio de San Francisco in the 1800s.

Register for the 1 pm tour >>

Register for the 3 pm tour >>​

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