4 Old Town San Diego was the site of the first permanent European settlement in California. It is considered to be the "Birthplace" of California. In 1769, Father Junipero Serra came to establish the very first mission in a chain of 21 missions that were to be the cornerstone of California’s colonization. Father Serra’s mission and Presidio were built on a hillside overlooking what is cur- rently known as Old Town San Diego. At the base of the hill in the 1820’s, a small Mexican community of adobe buildings was formed and by 1835 had attained the status of El Pueblo de San Diego. In 1827 Estudillo built a large L-shaped adobe house for his father on land granted by Governor José María de Echeandía. The adobe was consid- ered one of the finest homes in Alta California. The house is still standing, known as Casa de Estudillo, and is one of the oldest surviving buildings in California. It is designated a National Historic Landmark in its own right. The Estudillo family lived there until 1887. Pío de Jesús Pico (May 5, 1801 – September 11, 1894) was a Californio rancher and politician, the last governor of Alta California (now the State of California) under Mexican rule. He served from 1845 to 1846. Pico served twice as Governor of Alta California, taking office the first time from Manuel Victoria in 1832. When Mexico and the U.S. declared war in May 1846, Fremont and his men were in Oregon. Upon hearing the news, Fremont immediately headed south, calling his quest “the first step in the conquest of California.” When the population of California learned of Fremont’s arrival, many of them began to rebel against their Mexican leaders. In June, a small band of American set- tlers raised a flag with a bear facing a five-pointed star—with this act, the revolutionaries declared the indepen- dent Republic of California. In January 1847, Fremont was appointed territorial governor. The State of California Department of Parks and Recreation later established Old Town State Historic Park to pre- serve the rich heritage that character- ized San Diego during the 1821 to 1872 period. The park includes a main plaza, exhibits, museums and historic sites and buildings. T H E F O U N D I N G O F C A L I F O R N I A EarlySettler Jose A. Estudillo PresidioCommandant 1 846 FirstMission Fr. Junipero Serra CaliforniaUSA John C. Fremont Captain U.S. Army FranciscanMissionary 1 846 1827 1827 Pio Pico Last Governor 2 0 1 9 2 0 1 9 1 7 6 9 1 7 6 9 C O M M E R A T I O N C O M M E R A T I O N 2 0 1 9 2 0 1 9 1 7 6 9 1 7 6 9 C O M M E R A T I O N C O M M E R A T I O N EarlySettler Jose A. Estudillo PresidioCommandant 1 846 FirstMission Fr. Junipero Serra CaliforniaUSA John C. Fremont Captain U.S. Army FranciscanMissionary 1 846 1827 1827 Pio Pico Last Governor 2 0 1 9 2 0 1 9 1 7 6 9 1 7 6 9 C O M M E R A T I O N C O M M E R A T I O N 2 0 1 9 2 0 1 9 1 7 6 9 1 7 6 9 C O M M E R A T I O N C O M M E R A T I O N EarlySettler Jose A. Estudillo PresidioCommandant 1 846 FirstMission Fr. Junipero Serra CaliforniaUSA John C. Fremont Captain U.S. Army FranciscanMissionary 1 846 1827 1827 Pio Pico Last Governor 2 0 1 9 2 0 1 9 1 7 6 9 1 7 6 9 C O M M E R A T I O N C O M M E R A T I O N 2 0 1 9 2 0 1 9 1 7 6 9 1 7 6 9 C O M M E R A T I O N C O M M E R A T I O N EarlySettler Jose A. Estudillo PresidioCommandant 1 846 FirstMission Fr. Junipero Serra CaliforniaUSA John C. Fremont Captain U.S. Army FranciscanMissionary 1 846 1827 1827 Pio Pico Last Governor 2 0 1 9 2 0 1 9 1 7 6 9 1 7 6 9 C O M M E R A T I O N C O M M E R A T I O N 2 0 1 9 2 0 1 9 1 7 6 9 1 7 6 9 C O M M E R A T I O N C O M M E R A T I O N The first set of banners depicting prominent individuals from San Diego's heritage will soon be displayed throughout OldTown San Diego.