Crespí, Juan

Juan Crespí (1721-1782, Carmel), a Spanish Franciscan missionary, was one of the few early Spanish explorers whose impact on Santa Cruz County is still felt today. As head chaplain of the Portolá expedition, Crespí was in charge of naming the places visited by the explorers. Thus it was Crespí who gave us "San Lorenzo" and "Santa Cruz", although he never resided here.

• The Sidewalk Companion to Santa Cruz Architecture (4th ed. 2023) , Chapter Five, item (64), page 172.