SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO MISSION

THIS MISSION IS IN ORANGE COUNTY SOUTH OF LOS ANGELES. THEY HAVE MANY PADRES LIVING IN THE SOUTH WING OF THE MISSION DURING THE 18TH CENTURY. IT IS THE 7TH MISSION IN A CHIN OF 21. IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1776 BY FATHER JUNIPERO SERRA. THE BRONZE REPLICA SHOWS THE ITEMS NEEDED FOR THE FOUNDING OF THE MISSION.

THEY HAVE AN OLIVE MILLSTONE POWERED BY A BOY OR DONKEY. IT WAS USED FOR CRUSHING OLIVES FOR OIL. OLIVE OIL HAD MANY USES AT THE MISSION INCLUDING COOKING AND IT WAS TRADED FOR OTHER GOODS. IT NEEDS PRESERVATION. THE SOLDIERS BARRACK'S WERE BUILT IN 1791 AND HOUSED ABOUT SIX SPANISH SOLDIERS STATIONED AT THE MISSION. THEY HOUSED BLACKSMITHS, AND HAD STABLES DURING THE RANCHO PERIOD, 1845 - 1865.

NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY INCLUDES A SHELTER MADE OUT OF WILLOW BRANCHES AND TULE LEAVES AND WAS CALLED A KIICHA. THIS HOUSE WAS FOR THE JUANENO INDIANS BEFORE THE SPANISH ARRIVED. THEY HAD MORTARS AND PESTLES. THEY HAD MORTARS AND PESTLES TO GRIND ACORNS.

THE MISSION CONTAINED A DORMITORY, AND KITCHEN, PANTRY, PADRES LIVING ROOM, GUEST BEDROOM, PADRES DINING ROOM, EXHIBITS FROM THE RANCHO PERIOD. THE MISSION INDUSTRIAL CENTER WAS EXCAVATED IN 1930'S AND IT REVEALED THE INDIANS MADE SOAP, CANDLES, GREASE AND OINTMENTS FROM ANIMAL FAT. MISSION INDIANS DEVELOPED WAYS TO DYE THEIR WOOL AND SHEARED THE SHEEP, AND SPUN THE WOOL INTO YARN. THEY USED BIG TALLOW VATS TO DYE THE WOOL. THE VATS WERE NEXT TO THE CATALAN FURNACES, THE OLDEST METAL FURNACES IN CALIFORNIA. SOUTH OF THE FORGE AREA IS THE KITCHEN WHERE THE INDIANS THEIR FOOD.

THEY HAVE A MUSIC ROOM AND MUSIC SIGNED BY A LEON RENE AND A PIANO HE USED IN 1939. HE WROTE A SONG ABOUT THE SWALLOWS THAT RETURN TO THE MISSION. THE PLAZA OR COURTYARD WAS THE HEART OF MISSION LIFE. THERE ARE THREE WATER CHANNELS THROUGH THE MISSION AND UNDER THE WEST WING TO THE INDUSTRIAL AREA. THEY BUILT A SPANISH FOUNTAIN AND DEDICATED IT TO THE FOUR SULLIVANS. AND THEY PLANTED MOST TREES IN THE 1920'S. MOST OF THEIR CONCERTS ARE OUTDOORS HERE.

SERRA CHAPEL WAS BUILT IN 1788, IN CALIFORNIA STILL STANDING WHERE FATHER SERRA GAVE SACRAMENTS. IN THE EARLY 1920'S THEY RESTORED THE CHAPEL. THE ALTAR IS FROM SPAIN AND IS GOLD LEAF OVERLAY WOOD (OVER 400 YEARS OLD). NEAR THE ENTRY IS THE ORIGINAL BAPTISMAL FORMAT THAT ONCE STOOD IN THE GREAT STONE CHURCH. THE CHAPEL IN 2008 WAS RESTORED FOR $118 MILLION.

THE MISSION CEMETERY HOLDS 2000 CATHOLICS AND MOST JUANERO INDIANS ARE IN UNMARKED GRAVES. FATHER SULLIVAN'S TOMB IS AT THE FOOT OF THE MONUMENT.

THEY HAVE A SACRED GARDEN AND BELL WALL. THE BELLS WERE IN A TOWER UNTIL THE 1812 EARTHQUAKE. BELLS ARE IMPORTANT TO EARLY MISSION LIFE. THEY RANG FOR DINNER TIME, FOR RECREATION, AND FOR RELIGIOUS SERVICES.

THE GREAT STONE CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1787 AND TOOK 9 YEARS TO BUILD. IN DECEMBER 1812 AN EARTHQUAKE STRUCK DURING MORNING MASS KILLING 42 INDIAN WORSHIPPERS. IT WAS ONLY STABILIZED RECENTLY. THEY HAVE A STATUE OF FATHER SERRA AND AN INDIAN BOY WAS COMMISSIONED BY J. O'SULLIVAN IN 1914 TO BUILD THE STATUE. IT SYMBOLIZES THE MEETING OF THE TWO CULTURES, THE OLD AND NEW WORLDS. A CROSS WAS ADDED IN 2009, AFTER IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ORIGINAL DISAPPEARED. THE MISSION BASILLICA IS HOME TO THE GRAND TABLE AND WAS BUILT IN 2007. THIS IS A CHURCH THAT MOST OF THE MISSION PARISH COMMUNITY ATTEND.

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