Juan Bautista de Anza at Lake Merced

Lake Merced

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This equestrian statue of Captain Juan Bautista de Anza, founder of the City San Francisco, is located in a parking lot off Lake Merced Boulevard on the north shore of the Lake. A plaque, in both Spanish and English, on the statue base reads:

As a high tribute to an illustrious historical
figure born in Sonora, founder of
the City of San Francisco and with the purpose of
strengthening the friendly ties between the
peoples of Mexico and of the United States,
the state of Sonora of the Republic of Mexico
presents this statue to the City of San Francisco
this month of August of 1967,
at which time Lic. Luis Encinas was governor
of Sonora, the Honorable Ronald Reagan
Governor of California and the Honorable
John F. Shelly mayor of the City
of San Francisco.

The artist is Julian Martinez, a prolific sculptor of heroic Hispanic figures, about whom very little is known.

Juan Bautista de Anza found an overland route from Sonora Mexico to San Francisco in 1776.  Anza’s diary tells of him camping at Mountain Lake Park near what is now Lake Street as he explored the area. From what is assumed to be the Golden Gate Bridge overlook area he chose the site for the Presidio. He then proceeded to the southeast to select the site for Mission Dolores. In 1990, Congress acknowledged the significance of the Anza expeditions by establishing the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. The sculpture was a gift to the City from Luis Encina, the Governor of the State of Sonora, Mexico in 1967. Sculpture dimensions:Bronze: 11-1/2 ‘ H x 42” W x 70 “, weighs approximately 8,000 lbs.

This statue, along with Carlos III of Spain resided in Justin Herman Plaza.  In 2003 they were moved to Lake Merced to accommodate construction.The original intent was to have the two statues together near the de Anza National Historic Trail.  That did not happen. Why Lake Merced was chosen is unknown.

The pedestal was recast when de Anza was moved to Lake Merced.