the tree once stood in a ravine whose creek flowed into the southern end of monterey bay. it was there that the sebastián vizcaíno expedition drew fresh water after entering the bay on december 3, 1602. on december 17, 1602 the carmelite friars of the vizcaíno expedition held a mass under the tree and vizcaíno claimed monterey for spain. vizcaíno also noted the tree in his descriptions of the bay for future expeditions. in 1769 gaspar de portolà led an expedition to find the bay and establish monterey as a spanish settlement. after initially failing to find it, he was successful in may 1770 after following junípero serra's suggestion to look for the large oak tree described by vizcaíno. on june 3, 1770 bells were hung from the tree. father serra said a mass in an arbor constructed under the tree and the military officers of the portolà expedition unfurled the spanish flag.