Portolá Trail Campsite No. 1
Portolá Trail Campsite No. 1
Location	Elysian Park, Los Angeles
Coordinates	34°04′19″N118°13′38″W / 34.071858°N 118.227332°W /34.071858; -118.227332
Built	1769
California Historical Landmark
Designated	Sept. 26, 1958
Reference no.	655
Location of Portolá Trail Campsite No. 1 in the Los Angeles metropolitan area

ThePortolá Trail Campsite orPortolá Trail Campsite No. 1 is the spot of the firstEuropeans to travel and camp overnight in what is nowCentral Los Angeles,California. ThePortolá expedition camped at the site on August 2, 1769. The Portolá Trail Campsite No. 1 was designated aCalifornia Historic Landmark (No.655) on Sept. 26, 1958. The Portolá Trail Campsite is located in what is now theElysian Park entrance, at the NW corner of NorthBroadway and Elysian Park Drive in theCity of Los Angeles inLos Angeles County. The campsite is near theLos Angeles River, which they used as their water supply for the camp.^[1] Military officerGaspar de Portolá was the commander of the expedition for theSpanish Empire with the goal of theSpanish colonization of the Americas. The expedition led to the founding of the first mission in theLos Angeles Basin, theMission Vieja, on September 8, 1771, and ofAlta California. The expedition arrived at Portolá Trail Campsite No. 1 from theSan Gabriel Valley, were theMission San Gabriel would be built later in 1776. As they depart Portolá Trail Campsite No. 1 they traveled west towardsSanta Monica Bay, stopping atPortolá Trail Campsite 2, which is in present-dayBeverly Hills. Portolá Trail Campsite 2 is also a California Historic Landmark (No.665). At San Monica Bay the expedition turned and traveled north to were the futureMission San Fernando would be built in 1797. Form San Fernando the expedition turned west toVentura, the site of the futureMission San Buenaventura built in 1782.^{[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]}

Listed on the State Marker 655:

• Don Gaspar de Portolá (1723–1786) – Expedition Leader would become the firstGovernor of the Californias.
• Captain Don Fernando Rivera y Moncada (1725–1781) – soldier and became the third Governor of The Californias.
• Lieutenant Don Pedro Fages (1734–1794) – soldier, became Lieutenant Governor under Gaspar de Portolá.
• Sgt. José Francisco Ortega (1734–1798) – soldier and early settler of Alta California. Leader of thePresidio of San Diego.
• Father Juan Crespí (1721–1782) – recorded the complete expedition. Founder of firstmission in area.
• Father Francisco Gómez – served as chaplain for the expedition, a Father fromMission San Diego, later move toMission Carmel.

Marker on the site reads:^[9]

• NO. 655 PORTOLÁ TRAIL CAMPSITE (I) – Spanish colonization of California began in 1769 with the expedition of Don Gaspar de Portolá from Mexico. With Captain Don Fernando Rivera v Moncada, Lieutenant Don Pedro Fages, Sgt. José Francisco Ortega, and Fathers Juan Crespí and Francisco Gómez, he and his party camped near this spot on August 2, 1769, en route to Monterey.'

• California Historical Landmarks in Los Angeles County
• Spanish missions in California
• List of California Ranchos
• Ranchos of Los Angeles County, California

• California Historical Landmarks
• 1769 establishments in The Californias
• Spanish colonization of the Americas

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