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Gaspar De Portola Monument by Billy Fitzgerald

Artist: Billy Fitzgerald
Location: Harbor Drive near Spanish Landing

"Gaspar De Portola Monument" is a bronze bas relief located at Harbor Drive near Spanish Landing.

The artwork was created by B. Fitzgerald in 1987. It measures 6 feet in height and 7.5 feet in width.

The artwork and the monument commemorate the arrival of the de Portola-Serra expedition in San Diego in 1769. This was the first Spanish effort to settle in what was then known as Alta California. The monument is located near where the "San Antonio" dropped anchor in San Diego Bay on May 4, 1769. The "San Antonio" was one of two ships supporting the expedition, which included settlers, soldiers and missionaries. Two other groups that were part of the expedition came overland and joined near this spot the settlers who came by sea. The overland group included Capt. Gaspar de Portola himself and Father Junipero Serra. Father Serra went on to found 21 Spanish Missions in Alta California, along El Camino Real.