Vicente de Santa Maria facts for kids

Father Vicente de Santa María (born 1742 – died July 16, 1806) was a Spanish priest from the Franciscan order. He was an important part of the first Spanish navy trip into the San Francisco Bay. He sailed on a ship called the San Carlos with explorer Juan de Ayala.

Vicente de Santa María was born in a village called Aras in Navarre Province, Spain. In 1769, he moved to Mexico City. There, he studied to become a priest at the Colegio de San Fernando seminary.

Exploring San Francisco Bay

Father Santa María kept detailed notes and journals about his journey on the San Carlos. He wrote about the trip itself and about the native people living in the San Francisco Bay Area. These writings are very important because they describe the area before Spanish settlers arrived.

Life as a Missionary

After his explorations, Father Santa María served at two missions in California. He worked at Mission San Francisco de Asis in San Francisco. He also served at Mission San Buenaventura in Ventura, California. He passed away at Mission San Buenaventura in 1806.