The History of Utah Part 5: The Spaniards

   Not only was July of 1776 an extremely important month in US history, but it is also a very important month in the history of Utah, for it was in July of 1776 that two Franciscan priests, Atanasio Dominguez and Silvestre Vilez de Escalante set out on their famous expedition. Their purpose was to find a route from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Monterey, California. With eleven other men, they explored a great deal of America’s western country, particularly in what is now Colorado, Arizona and Utah. Because of the rough conditions they faced, the men found themselves forced to return to New Mexico without finding their desired route to California. However, the maps they created during their expedition served as a great help to those who would eventually discover the “Old Spanish Trail.”