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The Native Americans thought of him as an Oracle and although he was only 30 years old they called him "El Viejo", (Old Man), which was an expression of affection.

Francisco Hermenegildo Tomas Garces was a great missionary explorer of the late 1700's. Born in Spain on April 12, 1738. He was ordained a priest at age 25 and later attended the College of Santa Cruz de Questara in Mexico where he studied to perform missionary work among the Native Americans.

As a Franciscan missionary he explored, on mule back or by walking, much of the southwestern part of North America, Arizona,  southern California and Baja California. The good Padre loved his Native American subjects and was fearless in his exploration of their territories as he spread Christianity. The Indian villages he visited always welcomed him and made him a guest of honor.

What made the Padre so outstanding as an explorer was he kept a daily itinerary and diary in which he wrote, in detail, every league he traveled and every important event that transpired as he wandered over the deserts and mountains of the great southwest, usually alone or with Indian guides. His tools of research were an astrological chart, a compass, for finding direction and a quadrant to locate the position of the sun or stars from the horizon. These he used to record geographic locations on his expeditions. His detailed book of travels make him one of the most important explorers of early North America and his detailed writings give us a virtual picture of the geology, geography, wildlife and Indian culture of that era and they also inspired future adventurers to come west.

The King of Spain requested the Franciscan order  to find a shorter route from Sonora Mexico to their Missions in Monterey and San Francisco California. Across California, by way of the San Joaquin Valley was the shortest course and in 1776 Francisco Garces set out on the quest.

With two Mojave Indian guides, he traveled by foot, leading a mule with his provisions from the Colorado River at Yuma Arizona and across the Mojave Desert by way of Needles California to the Mission at San Gabriel. He then headed north through the San Fernando Valley, Newhall  and Lake Elizabeth. He then ascended the Tehachapi Mountains and by way of Tejon Pass entered The San Joaquin Valley. He and his guides rested three days at a village that was southeast of what is now Arvin. Most of the Indian trails and roads the Padre used were in the foothills to the west of the Valley floor.

His two Mojave Indian guides, fearing the Valley Indians refused to go any further. They stayed at the village and the Padre promised to return in four or five days. He then proceeded north accompanied by an old local Indian guide who volunteered to lead Garces up into the San Joaquin Valley.
 
They walked north until they reached a stream which the Padre named,"Arroyo de Santa Catarina", ( Cottonwood Creek), where they met two Indian boys who gave them a few ground squirrels for food and the Padre rewarded them with some white sea shells which they valued highly. As they cooked a meal the old guide gathered watercress from the stream bed which the Friar enjoyed eating. After spending the night on the bank of Cottonwood Creek, they followed the stream down to where it emptied into the Kern River, about two miles west of Kern River Canyon.

It was May 1, 1776. The river was high with the spring run off and Padre Garces commented, "It was a large river making much noise, the beautiful crystalline waters were bountiful and good to drink". The current was too strong to make a crossing at this place so they decided to walk a distance down stream where they found an Indian Rancheria. Three men from that village guided them even farther down river where they observed another village across the river. At this place, a quiet stretch of river made swimming across a simple task. From the another Rancheria on the north bank came Indians to assist the Padre across because he could not swim. Four braves floated him across and some others led the mule across with their provisions and clothes, in baskets, on his back. He named the river," Rio de San Felipe". (A monument depicting this event is located east of Bakersfield on Highway 178 near Rancheria Road)

The Natives received him with great joy and he rewarded them with gifts of glass beads and tobacco.  The villagers gave a feast, performed ritual dances and had a joyous celebration in his honor. Although the villagers begged him to stay the night, he and the old guide continued their expedition to the north.

In this era, the valley abounded in wildlife giving the Indians a plentiful food supply. Herds of antelope, elk and deer roamed the plains and low mountains. Hundreds of wild horses were in the foothills to the west and in the lakes and  marshes that dominated the valley's southern portion, fish and water fowl were abundant. Pine nuts and acorns were favorite foods and the natives stored baskets full for winter food.

The next Rancheria they encountered on their northward trek was at Poso Creek, which Garces named,"Rio de Santiago". The Indians in this village welcomed them and gave them a feast after which they stayed for the night . The Padre always ate the the same food as his Indian subjects and enjoyed it as much as they. He also sat with them in a  cross-legged fashion while eating, which promped his fellow missionaries to jest that he appeared to be as much an Indian as his native subjects.

The next morning Padre Garces, the old guide and their mule proceeded north until they arrived at a Rancheria on  White River which he named,"Rio de la Santa Cruz".  The 150 or so Natives welcomed the Padre and a grieving mother and father asked him if he could minister to their baby boy who was very ill and about to expire. After receiving permission from the babies parents, the Padre gave the infant a Christian baptism. This was the first recorded Christian baptism performed in the San Joquin Valley. (A monument marks this location at 8 miles east from Porterville Highway 65, on Highway 155, the Woody road).

White River was as far north as Father Garces explored and on his return trip he traveled southeast, up into the Sierra Mountains then headed back south through the low mountains to return to the Kern River. After a dangerous all night excursion he finally arrived at the river.

He returned to the village on the River bank where he first crossed on May 1st but feared making another dangerous crossing. The Indians suggested he go  far down stream to where a bridge could be found to cross. He traveled 2 leagues (about 5 miles) down river to where he found a village of about 150 natives at the place where the the river forked into a main branch flowing northwest and a small branch flowing southwest. The larger stream was spanned by two sycamore logs for a bridge and the small fork could be waded across.

This village at the Kern River Forks would probably have been located near 42nd and Jewett Ave. because the river channel forks were located near that location back then. From this village the Padre could view the bluffs and Alta Vista areas as he remarked," this area has beautiful hills, safe from any flooding, that will be ideal for building a mission. I name this place San Miguel de los Noches". No mission was built but on that very hill the Padre was admiring, a school named Garces Memorial High School was eventually built.

He then traveled from our town site and started the long walk back to the mission at Yuma. He traveled south through East Bakersfield to the Arvin area then up through the Tehachapi Pass along the route the railroad now  uses, across the desert to Barstow, then through Needles and down the Colorado River to his Mission at Yuma Arizona.

In 1781, Father Garces and his fellow missionaries were among the many killed at the Mission San Pedro y San Pablo de Bicuner in an Indian uprising and massacre. Two statues to his memory are located in Bakersfield, at the Garces Traffic Circle and at Garces Memorial High School.

Father Garces was a devoted priest, a pathfinder worthy of remembrance, bold under challenge and uncomplaining under severe hardship. He was one of the most respectable figures in the early history of the Southwest.

                                       (C)  By George Gilbert Lynch, Aug. 6, 2007

                                                References
  "On The Trail Of A Spanish Pioneer" by Elliot Coues, Vol. #1; Frances P. Harper publisher, New York, 1900

"A Record Of Travels In Arizona And California 1775 & 1776" ,by John Gavin; John Howell publisher.

Subject matter researched in the Local History Room at Beale Memorial Library.