Shell Treasures at Cabrillo National Monument
Cabrillo National Monument is located at the furthest southern tip of Point Loma Peninsula in San Diego, California. The site commemorates the landing of Spanish explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo in San Diego Bay.
As I shared in the October 2020 issue of Rock & Gem, my husband and I visited San Diego in November of 2019. One of our first stops was to re-visit Cabrillo National Monument. Hidden away in the park are some wonderful shell art treasures, but first, let me share the Monument’s chronicle and natural history.
CABRILLO’S VOYAGE
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo was the captain of the first recorded European voyage to land in San Diego Bay – named San Miguel- on September 28, 1542. He had set sail on June 27, 1542, with three vessels - the San Salvador, Victoria, and San Miguel, and about 250 men to explore the Americas’ uncharted Pacific coast. Sailing north from Navidad in Mexico, he hoped to find a passageway to the Atlantic or the coastal route to the Spice Islands (Moluccas) and Asia’s riches. At that time, no one had any idea of the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.
On April 14, 1543, Cabrillo’s ships returned to Navidad without finding gold treasure, exotic spices, or the trade route to Asia. The expedition was considered a failure. However, they returned with something even more valuable, which is the first recorded account of California’s people, places, and climate.
CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT
Cabrillo National Monument was designated as a California Historical Landmark in 1932 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The visitor’s center has a wonderful Age of Exploration exhibit about Cabrillo’s excursion, detailing the voyage, ships, and the Native American people that Cabrillo encountered. Three excellent films continuously play in the museum’s auditorium, In Search of Cabrillo, On the Edge of Land and Sea, and First Breath: Gray Whales. We watched all of them, and they were educational and compelling.
Also on site is a heroic statue of Cabrillo. The figure stands against a background with a panoramic view of San Diego’s harbor and skyline, and the expanse of the Pacific Ocean. The Portuguese government commissioned the original statue, which was made by sculptor Alvaro de Bree in sandstone in 1939. Unfortunately, the statue was stored for a few years and then suffered severe weathering as it stood exposed to the elements. A replica made of limestone replaced the sandstone figure in 1988.