MISSION AT SAN LOUIS OBISPO

MY FAMILY TRAVELED HERE ABOUT 7 YEARS AGO. THIS WAS THE FIRST CALIFORNIA MISSION FOUNDED BY FATHER JUNIPERO SERRA ON SEPTEMBER 1772. IT WAS FOUNDED BY FATHER JUNIPERO SERRA ON SEPTEMBER 1772. IT WAS FOUNDED BY FATHER JUNIPERO SERRA IN 1772. IT WAS HIS 5TH MISSION. IT WAS NAMED AFTER ST. LOUIS BISHOP OF TOULOUSE IN FRANCE. IN 1769 FATHER SERRA GOT ORDERS FROM SPAIN TO BRING CATHOLIC FAITH TO THE NATIVES OF ALTA, CALIFORNIA. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING. THE CHURCH ITSELF HAS A VERY HIGH WOODEN CEILING AND WOODEN BENCHES. AN ARTIST WAS COMMISSIONED TO PAINT THE VARIOUS COLORFUL EMBELLISHMENTS SEEN THROUGHOUT THE CHURCH. THERE IS A FLOWERY PAINTED EMBELLISHMENT THROUGHOUT THE CHURCH WALLS. THEY HAVE NUMEROUS OIL PAINTINGS ALONG THE WALL THAT WERE MADE IN LIMA, PERU. THEY HAVE MADE MANY RENOVATIONS TO THE CHURCH AND ALTAR AREA. THEY HAVE VERY ORNATE ARTWORK ABOVE THE CRUCIFIX AND THE ALTAR AND A WORSHIP AREA. IT LOOKS LIKE SPAIN. THEY HAVE A DARK, SMALL PRAYER ROOM WITH MANY LIT CANDLES DEDICATED TO THE VIRGIN MARY. EACH CANDLE IS LIT FOR A PRAYER FOR A BELOVED ONE.

OUTSIDE THEY HAVE A BIG FOUNTAIN BUILT FROM NATIVE ROCKS AND CEMENT. FATHER SERRA'S STATUE IS IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE. IN THE GARDEN THEY HAVE A WOODEN ARCHWAY WITH GRAPESVINES AND A WISHING WELL FOR WATER. THE ARCHWAY PROVIDES SHADE. IN THEIR GARDEN THEY ALSO HAVE A REPLICA OF A CHUMASH INDIAN OVEN. THEY HELPED TO BUILD TO BUILD THE MISSION. SOME CHUMASH WERE CONVERTED. AT ONE POINT IN 1790S THEY ADDED WOODEN SIDING.

IN 1769 GAPER DE PORTULA TRAVELLED THROUGH SAN LOUIS OBISPO TO REDISCOVER THE BAY OF MONTERREY. HIS EXPEDITION RECORDED THE NAME GIVEN TO THE AREA AS LLANO DE LOS OSOS, OR LAND OF THE BEARS.
IN 1770 FATHER SERRA FOUND HIS SECOND MISSION, SAN CARLOS BARREMEO IN MONTERREY. IT WAS MOVED THE NEXT YEAR TO CARMEL. IN 1772 THE PEOPLE IN THE MISSIONS SENT 25 MULE LOADS OF BEAR MEAT AND SEED TO RELIEVE THESE SOLDIERS AND BAPTIZED NATIVES IN MONTERREY AND CARMEL.

THE CHUMASH WERE FRIENDLY WITH THE MISSION PEOPLE HERE AND THEY TRADED SEED FOR MEAT. FATHER SERRA DECIDED TO ESTABLISH ANOTHER MISSION AT LA CANADA DE LOS OSOS. THIS AREA HAD PLENTY OF FRESH WATER AND FOOD, THE CLIMATE WAS MILD. WITH HIS SOLDIERS, PACK ANIMALS WITH MISSION SUPPLIES, AND MULES, FATHER SERRA SET OUT TO REACH THE VALLEY OF THE BEARS . IN SEPTEMBER 1772 HE CELEBRATED THE FIRST MASS WITH A CROSS NEAR SAN LUIS CREEK. THE NEXT DAY HE LEFTY FOR SAN DIEGO LEAVING FATHER CAVALLER WITH BUILDING THE MISSION. HE HAD FIVE SOLDIERS AND TWO BAPTIZED CHUMASH TO HELP WITH SAN LOUIS OBISPO DE TOLOSA.

AFTER 1850 WHEN CALIFORNIA BACAME A STATE, BISHOP JOSEPH ALEMANY PETITIONED THE GOVERNMENT TO RETURN SOME MISSION LANDS BACK TO THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH WING WITH WOODEN CLAPBOARD. THE BUILDINGS UNDERWENT RESTORATION TO TRANSFORM THEM TO EARLY MISSION STYLE. AN ANNEX HAD BEEN ADDED. MANY PEOPLE VISIT THESE MISSIONS TODAY.

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