Hernando de Alarcón’s 1540 Exploration of the Lower Colorado River (opens in new tab)

by Robert Marcos, photojournalist California got its name from a popular Spanish romance novel that was published in 1510. The book, “Las Sergas de Esplandián” described California as a mythical island that was inhabited by Amazons and was filled with gold and pearls. So when Hernán Cortés arrived in La Paz (near the southern end … Continue reading Hernando de Alarcón’s 1540 Exploration of the Lower Colorado River