Summer 1579: Drake Proclaims Non-Fake New Albion

Francis Drake, sailing along the west coast of North America, puts ashore somewhere along the coast of Oregon or California

He makes repairs to his ship in a sheltered cove, claiming the land for Queen Elizabeth and proclaiming it New Albion.

Sir Franicis Drake depicted in portrait miniature by Nicholas Hilliard, 1581, reverse of "Drake Jewel", inscribed Aetatis suae 42, An(n)o D(omi)ni 1581 ("42 years of his age, 1581 AD")

During 1577–1580, Drake made a circumnavigation of the globe in the Golden Hind. After rounding the tip of South America, he sailed north and explored the west coast of North America, including the west coast of the present-day United States.

All agree that Drake sailed along the coast of present-day Oregon and California, but the  location of Drake's only landfall along the coast is still a mystery. Anyone who tells you otherwise is ignorant, confused, or flat out lying because they have an agenda (see notes below).

The landing has long been supposed to be just outside the San Francisco Bay, but there is no conclusive evidence of this. The identification is so far only by tradition, and has probably been buttressed by what turned out to be a hoax: a brass plaque unearthed in 1936 in present-day Marin County. It took almost forty years to prove the plaque was a modern fake.

FAKE, NOT DRAKE

"The hoax was successful for forty years, despite early doubts. After the plate came to public attention in 1936, historians immediately raised questions regarding the plate's wording, spelling, and manufacture. The hoax's perpetrators even tried to tip off the plate's finders as to its origins. But many presumed the plate to be real after an early metallurgical study concluded it was genuine. Then, in the late 1970s, scientists determined that the plate was a modern creation after it failed a battery of physical and chemical tests. Much of the mystery surrounding the plate continued until 2003, when historians finally advanced a theory about who created the plate and why, showing the plate to be a practical joke by local historians gone very awry. The plate was acquired by—and until 2005 was on display at—the Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley." (Wikipedia)

A replica of the Golden Hind (wikipedia)

Meanwhile, other reasonable theories put his landing at one of several places elsewhere in California or in Oregon.

Possible route of of Drake's exploration of the west coast of North America in 1579. The identifications of the Oregon Dunes and Cape Mendocino are conjectural based on one the most widely accepted current theories of his voyage.

Here's Drake's landing place, New Albion, in a map by Jodocus Hondius in 1603
c. 1603, made from Drake's notes given to Queen Elizabeth, over twenty years after his return.

"After Queen Elizabeth's death (in 1603), maps began to mark the area of North America above Mexico and New Mexico as Nova Albion, although the location of Drake's Port greatly differs among maps. However, Drake's claiming land on the Pacific coast became the legal basis for subsequent colonial charters issued by English monarchs that purported to grant lands from "sea to sea" (i.e., from the Atlantic where English colonies were first settled, to the Pacific). However, despite these claims, the English did not establish a colonizing presence on the west coast of North America until the late 18th century in the form of the explorations and asserted claims of Captains Cook and Vancouver and the associated Nootka Conventions." (source)

 But where is New Albion?

 California?

Drake's Bay on the southern side of Pt. Reyes. This has long been supposed as the landing site of Drake in 1579, but there is no tangible proof. Drake's journals are vague, and he is known to have purposely obscured certain information.

 Oregon?

Whale Cove, just south of Depoe Bay., Oregon. A possible site of Drake's 1579 landing?. (another possible Oregon location)

All agree that Drake was the second European captain to sail alnog the coast of California, but he was probably the first to explore the coast of present-day Oregon (although some dispute this).

To wit, thirty-seven years before Drake, a Spaniard named Cabrillo sailed up the coast from New Spain. All seem to agree that Cabrillo put ashore in San Diego Bay, but just about everything else is up for grabs.

 

Thirty seven years before the New Albion landing...

Late 1542 

Juan Cabrillo of Spain sails along the coast of present-day California (and Oregon?) 

Puts ashore in San Diego Bay 
--- but how far north did he sail before turning around?

everyone has an idea...

Nov. 13, 1542 --- Cabrillo sights and names "Cabo de Pinos" along the west coast of North America (possibly Point Reyes)**

The extent to which Cabrillo explored northern California and possibly Oregon is highly disputed.*

Cabrillo certainly missed the entrance to San Francisco Bay, a lapse that mariners would repeat for the next two centuries and more

The expedition reached as far north as (the Russian River)** before autumn storms forced them to turn back. Coming back down the coast, Cabrillo entered (Monterey Bay)** naming it "Bahia de los Pinos".

why it matters...

*Regarding the controversy, I can testify to this personally from severe Wikipedia "edit wars" back in 2004-2005 in the articles about Drake and the early history of California, an issue I stumbled into by accident. A recent check of these articles during research for this blog post confirmed that the issue of  how far north Cabrillo reached, and likewise the precise location where Drake made landfall on the coast, are still very much open questions. Even the idea there is a controversy is itself controversial on Wikipedia!

If all of this sounds silly to you as a trivial issue, keep in mind that basically this is equivalent to the question: who first set foot in (Northern) California and claimed it for which European sovereign? Someone from Spain or someone from England? If you can't figure out why that is controversial in 2016, then I can't help you.

**example of a very controversial statement in Wikipedia. I am all but certain that whoever inserted is probably still watching the article and guarding against challenges to it.