- Juan Bautista de Anza (1736–1788) was a Spanish military commander and explorer who established the first overland route from Mexico's Sonoran Desert to the coast of California - He is a pivotal figure in the colonization of Spanish California, and his expeditions led to the founding of a European settlement in San Francisco - Juan Bautista de Anza's activities in southern Arizona were central to his expeditions and military career ... the region served as a base of operations for his exploration efforts, most notably for launching his major expedition to settle California in 1775 - The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail also has a significant presence in southern Arizona, following the route of his expeditions along the Santa Cruz River valley - Anza was the commander of the Presidio of Tubac, located in what is now Tubac Presidio State Historic Park