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Join us in-person downtown at the Archaeology Southwest headquarters, Tuesday, November 4, 2025, when Aaron Wright (Preservation Archaeologist) will discuss “Following Their Footsteps: Indigenous Geography and the Anza Expedition of 1775–1776.” Spanish colonialism succeeded in part by co-opting Indigenous knowledge, resources, and infrastructure—including methods for navigating difficult and dangerous terrain unfamiliar to the colonizers. A prime example is the 1775–1776 overland expedition led by Captain Juan Bautista de Anza, launched to claim and colonize San Francisco Bay, then a remote harbor in Alta California critical to trade between Asia and Spain’s expanding presence in the Americas. In recognition of the expedition’s 250th anniversary, this presentation shares findings from recent archaeological investigations that reveal how the expedition relied on an established Indigenous trail network to successfully traverse the Sonoran Desert—arguably the most challenging segment of the five-month, 1,200-mile journey.
Archaeology Café takes place at Archaeology Southwest Headquarters, located at 300 N Ash Alley, Tucson, AZ.
We’re tucked just off Ash Alley in downtown Tucson.
Parking:
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Two nearby public parking lots:
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One off Franklin Street (north of us).
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One off Stone Avenue/Council Street (south of us).
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Accessible parking: Visitors who need accessible spaces or extra assistance are welcome to park in the Archaeology Southwest lot.
If you need help getting from your vehicle to the event, please call Sara at (520) 849-6474. We’re happy to assist.
Can’t join us live?
This season we’re adding a livestream option so you can join Café in real time from anywhere. Click this link to register for the online version, if you can’t attend in-person.
Missed a talk? About a week after each Café, we’ll also post the recorded videos to our website archive and YouTube channel. We’ll share links on our Facebook page and in our Preservation Archaeology Today and This Month at Archaeology Southwest newsletters.
About Archaeology Café
Presented by Archaeology Southwest, a nonprofit organization that explores and protects heritage places while honoring their diverse values, Archaeology Café is an informal forum that brings lifelong learners together with experts.
About this season
Tread: The Where, How, and Why of Trails & Foot Travel
Step into the 2025–2026 season of Archaeology Café: Tread. This year, we’re following the routes people have taken across time—on foot, through memory, and across landscapes.
From ancient migrations and sacred trails to trade paths, historical expeditions, and everyday travel, this season explores how movement shapes cultural landscapes in the Southwest and beyond. Trails connect people to place, carry meaning, and leave lasting marks on the land and in our stories.
This season, we’re coming home: Archaeology Café is returning to the headquarters of Archaeology Southwest in downtown Tucson. Whether you’ve joined us here before or this is your first time, we’re excited to welcome you into our everyday place.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and talks begin at 6:00 p.m.
Can’t make it in person? Recordings will be posted on our YouTube channel a few days later.
History has many paths. Let’s walk a few together.
See this season’s postcard »
Archaeology Café is made possible by BMO and The Smith Living Trust.