On July 29, 1776, Fathers Dominguez and Escalante with their party of 10 left Santa Fe, New Mexico, to find a new route to Monterey, California. After nearly 1000 miles they and their two native guides reached the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon on Sept. 23, 1776. They climbed a hill and caught sight of the lake and spreading valley rimmed by Yuta Timpanogotzis Indian villages. They named it the Valley And Lake Of Our Lady Of Mercy Of The Timpanogotzis. They stayed in the valley four days meeting with the Indians and teaching them about Christianity and their salvation.

The hill the Padres climbed to see the valley was dedicated as Dominguez Hill 200 years later in 1976. A 37 Ft. high cross was erected on that hill and dedicated In 1981. The hill and cross can be seen by looking in a S-SW direction or by using the viewer. The cross is on private property and is not accessible.

There is a historic Marker and some pipes set to look through and see the cross set up in 1981.