Juan Bautista de Anza rode through Riverside and crossed the Santa Ana River on March 20-21, 1774, 250 years ago last week. He was the first non-native to document a visit to the future Inland Empire. I visit sites associated with him, including a statue in Newman Park, for my Sunday column. I’d heard of De Anza, and you probably have too, but I hadn’t understood who he was or his significance until now.