Mission Bell – San Juan Bautista, California – Daily Photo
by Chris Christensen Add commentscategories: usa travel
I grew up as a history buff in California where we have less history than people who grew up on the East Coast. So I probably cherished more than most kids field trips to nearby San Juan Bautista. This old mission was founded on June 24, 1797 by the Spanish who built missions from Baja California to just north of San Francisco. The missions were spaced a days ride apart. San Juan Bautista Mission is one of the better preserved since not only the mission but the old plaza is still there. The mission has needed restoration over the years, especially since this is the one mission built a few feet off of the San Andreas fault.
Marina K. Villatoro
Says:August 18th, 2010 at 7:48 am
It’s nice to hear that there still people interested in preserving historical places such as that mission.
Dale Day
Says:March 2nd, 2011 at 6:24 pm
You’re not the only one interested in this stuff!
I grew up in California and have been amazed at the missions, how they were built and what they did.
In fact, after hours and hours of research, I’m in the final phases of preparing a novel for publication on Kindle and Nook all about it!
The Sailor and The Carpenter
IEl Marinero y el carpintero
(A tale of 18th Century California)
is the first in a series of three that will take the reader on a journey from 1767 in Devon, England and Sinaloa, Mexico to the 1800s when Spain lost control of California to the Mexican Government (that basically ignored it) until the arrival of the Americans.
I hope you’ll key an eye open for it and, if you buy and read it, will give me your feedback on it.
I do my best to unravel some of the misinformation going around about the friars and their relationships with the Indians.