|San Diego Travel Guide| The area has long been inhabited by the
Kumeyaay people. The first European to visit the region was Juan
Rodriguez Cabrillo, sailing for Spain, in 1542. He named it San
Miguel. The San Diego Bay and the area of present day San Diego
were given their present names by Sebastian Vizcaino when he was
mapping the coastline of Alta California for Spain in 1602. The
explorers camped near a Native American village called
"Nipaguay" and celebrated Mass in honor of San (or Saint) Diego
de Alcala (Saint Didacus of Alcalá). California was then part of
the colony of New Spain. In 1769, Gaspar de Portolá and his
expedition founded a presidio (or military post) and on Sunday
July 16, Franciscan Fathers Junípero Serra, Juan Viscaino and
Fernando Parron raised and blessed a cross, establishing the
first mission in Upper California, Mission San Diego de Alcala.
Colonists began arriving in 1774, and the following year, 1775
the native people rebelled. They killed the priest and two
others, and burned th