Juan Crespí facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joan Crespí
Juan Crespí |
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Cenotaph of Saint Junípero Serra in the Mission San Carlos Borromeo, Carmel-by-the-Sea (1924); Fr. Juan Crespí, who predeceased Serra, stands at the head, praying over him.
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| Born | 1 March 1721 |
| Died | 1 January 1782 (aged 60) |
| Resting place | Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Roman Catholic priest, missionary, explorer |
Joan Crespí or Juan Crespí (born March 1, 1721 – died January 1, 1782) was a Spanish priest and explorer. He was a member of the Franciscan order. Crespí played a big part in exploring and setting up missions in a region called Las Californias. This area is now parts of California, USA, and Baja California, Mexico.
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Who Was Joan Crespí?
Joan Crespí was born in Mallorca, Spain. When he was seventeen, he joined the Franciscan order. This is a group of Catholic priests and brothers.
In 1749, Crespí traveled to New Spain. This was a large area controlled by Spain. It included much of present-day Mexico and parts of the United States. He traveled with other famous explorers like Francisco Palóu and Junípero Serra.
Early Missions and Explorations
In 1767, Crespí went to the Baja California Peninsula. This is a long strip of land south of what is now California. He was put in charge of a mission there called Misión La Purísima Concepción de Cadegomó. Missions were like settlements where priests lived and taught local people.
Exploring Alta California
In 1769, Crespí joined a very important trip. It was called the Portolá expedition. This expedition was led by Gaspar de Portolá and Junípero Serra. Their goal was to explore and claim new lands for Spain.
Journey to San Diego and Monterey
Crespí traveled with the first group of the land expedition. This group went to a place that is now San Diego. There, they built a fort (called a presidio) and a mission.
After San Diego, Crespí continued north. He went with Portolá and Captain Fernando Rivera y Moncada. They were looking for a good port in Monterey.
Crespí was the only Franciscan priest to travel the entire journey by land. Because of this, he became the official diarist for the missions. He wrote down everything that happened. His writings are very important. They tell us about the first time Europeans explored the inner parts of Alta California.
Discovering San Francisco Bay
After reaching Monterey in October 1769, Crespí kept exploring. The expedition went as far north as what is now San Francisco. Crespí was one of the first Europeans to see the beautiful San Francisco Bay.
The expedition traveled through many areas that are now counties in California. These included San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and San Francisco.
Further Explorations and Legacy
In 1772, Crespí went on another exploration. He joined Captain Pedro Fages. They explored areas east of San Francisco Bay. They were the first Europeans to see the Sacramento River and the San Joaquin Valley.
In 1774, Crespí was the chaplain for an expedition. This trip went to the North Pacific. It was led by Juan José Pérez Hernández.
Crespí's diaries are very valuable. They were first published in a book called Fray Juan Crespi in 1927. Later, they were published in Spanish with English translations. These diaries give us important details about these early expeditions.
One chapel that Crespí helped build is still standing. It is at the Misión San Francisco del Valle de Tilaco in Landa.
A Catholic boys' school in Encino is named after him. It is called Crespi Carmelite High School. A middle school in the West Contra Costa Unified School District was also named for him. However, it was later renamed for Betty Reid Soskin in 2021.
See also
In Spanish: Joan Crespí Fiol para niños
