Sitre In and Mission San Juan Capistrano: Difference between pages
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:''Another mission bearing the name '''San Juan Capistrano''' is the [[Mission San Juan Capistrano (Texas)|Mission San Juan Capistrano]] in [[San Antonio, Texas]].
{{Infobox Missions|
image=Mission San Juan Capistrano 4-5-05 100 6588.JPG|
caption=A view of Mission San Juan Capistrano in April of 2005. At left is the façade of the first adobe church with its added ''espadaña''. Behind the ''campanario'', or "bell wall" is the "Sacred Garden." The Mission has earned a reputation as the "''Loveliest of the Franciscan Ruins.''"|
name=Mission San Juan Capistrano|
___location=[[San Juan Capistrano, California]]|
originalname=''La Misión de San Juan Capistrano de Sajavit'' <ref>Leffingwell, p. 37</ref>|
translation=The Mission of Saint John of Sajavit|
namesake=[[Giovanni da Capistrano|Saint John]] of [[Capestrano]]|
nickname="Jewel of the Missions" <ref>Young, p. 26</ref><br>"Mission of the Swallow"|
founded=[[November 1]] [[1776]] <ref>Leffingwell, p. 37</ref>|
foundedby=Father Presidente [[Junípero Serra]]|
foundingorder=Seventh|
militarydistrict=First|
nativetribe=[[Acjachemem|Juaneño]]|
owner=[[Roman Catholic Church]]|
placename=''Quanís Savit, Sajivit'' <ref>Ruscin, p. 195</ref>|
currentuse=Chapel / Museum|
Coor dms={{coor dms|33|30|10|N|117|39|42|W|}}|
NHL=[http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/CA/Orange/state2.html #NPS–71000170]|
NRHP=[[September 3]] [[1971]]|
CHL=[http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=21445 #200]|
website=http://www.missionsjc.com|
}}
'''Mission San Juan Capistrano''' was founded on [[All Saints|All Saints Day]] ([[November 1]]), [[1776]]. Named for a 15th-century [[Theology|theologian]] and "warrior priest" who resided in the [[Abruzzo]] region of [[Italy]], San Juan Capistrano has the distinction of being home to the oldest building in California still in use, a [[chapel]] built in 1782; known alternately as "Serra's Chapel" and "Father Serra's Church," it the only extant structure wherein it has been documented that the padre officiated over [[mass]].<ref>Young, p. 23</ref> The founding document on display within the Mission is also the only known surviving founding paper signed by Father Serra. One of the best known of the Alta California missions, the site was originally consecrated on [[October 30]], [[1775]] by Father [[Fermín Lasuén]] but was abandoned due to unrest among the indigenous population in San Diego.<ref>Yenne, p. 72</ref>
The success of the settlement is evident in its historical records. Prior to the arrival of the missionaries, some 550 natives were scattered throughout the local area; by 1790, the number of converted [[Christians]] had grown to 700, and just six years later nearly 1,000 "neophytes" (recent converts) lived in or around the Mission compound. 1,649 [[baptism]]s were conducted that year alone, out of the total 4,430 souls converted throughout the Mission's lifetime. An estimated 2,000 former inhabitants (mostly [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]]) are buried in unmarked graves in the Mission's [[cemetery]] (''campo santos''), as are the remains of Father (later [[Monsignor]]) [[St. John O'Sullivan]], the man credited with recognizing the property's historic value and working tirelessly to conserve and rebuild its structures. Father O'Sullivan is buried at the entrance to the cemetery on the west side of the property, and a statue raised in his honor stands at the head of the crypt. The surviving chapel also serves as the final resting place of three padres who passed on while serving at the Mission: Father José Barona, Father Vincent Fuster, and Father José Rafael Oliva are all entombed beneath the sanctuary floor.
The Mission entered a long period of gradual decline after [[secularization]] in 1834. Numerous efforts were made over the years to restore the Mission to its former glory, but none met with great success until the arrival of Father O'Sullivan in 1910. Restoration efforts continue to this day; "Serra's Chapel" is still used for religious services, and over half a million people visit the [[landmark]] every year. In 1984 a modern church complex was constructed just north and west of the Mission compound; the design is patterned after the old stone church, but twenty percent larger. Its 85-foot high main [[rotunda]] and 104-foot high bell tower make it the tallest building in town; [[Pope John Paul II]] conferred the rank of [[Minor Basilica]] to this facility on [[February 14]], [[2000]].
[[Image:1916 Rexford Newcomb sketch -- Mission San Juan Capistrano.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Artist Rexford Newcomb's conception of Mission San Juan Capistrano in its heyday. The intact "Great Stone Church" is depicted at the far right.<ref>Newcomb, p. 16</ref>]]
==Prehistory==
The first humans are thought to have made their homes among the southern valleys of California's coastal mountain ranges some 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. The earliest of these people are known only from archaeological evidence. Relatively much is known about the native inhabitants in recent centuries, thanks in part to the efforts of the Spanish explorer [[Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo]], who documented his observations of life in the coastal villages he encountered along the Southern California coast in October of 1542.<ref>Yenne, p. 8</ref> Fray Gerónimo Boscana, a Franciscan scholar who was stationed at San Juan Capistrano in 1812, compiled what is widely considered to be the most comprehensive study of prehistoric religious practices in the San Juan Capistrano valley. Religious knowledge was secret, and the prevalent religion, called ''[[Chinigchinix|Chingichngich]]'', placed village chiefs in the position of religious leaders, an arrangement that gave the chiefs broad power over their people.
==History==
===The Mission Era (1769 – 1833)===
[[Image:Mission San Juan Capistrano 4-5-05 100 6535.JPG|thumb|250px|right|A statue of Father Junípero Serra and an Indian boy, sculpted by '''Tole van Rensalaar'''; the work was commissioned in 1914 by Father St. John O'Sullivan to depict the meeting of the two cultures. Father O'Sullivan acted as the subject for Serra, and local resident Clarence Mendelson was the model for the boy.]]
Father Juan Crespí authored the first written account of actual interaction between Franciscan friars and the indigenous population after his expedition traveled through the region on [[July 22]], [[1769]]. The group officially named the area after [[Mary Magdalene|Santa Maria Magdalena]] (though it would also come to be called the ''Arroyo de la Quema'' and ''Cañada del Incendio'', "Wildfire Hollow").<ref>Kelsey, p. 9</ref> The Mission site was chosen as a logical halfway point between [[San Gabriel]] and [[San Diego]]. San Juan Capistrano is one of the few missions to have actually been founded twice (another being [[Mission La Purísima Concepción]]); the site was first established Father Fermín Lasuén and Father Gregório Amúrrio on October 30, 1775 near an [[Native Americans in the United States|Indian]] settlement named ''Sajivit''; unfortunately, [[Mission San Diego de Alcalá]] came under Indian attack eight days later.<ref>Wright, p. 37</ref> Since it was feared at the time that any hostile action by the natives against the few burgeoning outposts might break [[Spain]]'s tenuous hold on [[Alta California]], the fathers quickly buried the San Juan Capistrano Mission bells and the expedition returned to [[Presidio of San Diego|El Presidio de San Diego]] in order to quell the uprising.
One year later Fathers Serra and Lasuén returned to once again begin work on the Mission at San Juan Capistrano; once there, they uncovered the bells and discovered that a wooden cross that had been erected during the original dedication was still standing. Due to an inadequate water supply the Mission site was subsequently relocated approximately three miles to the west near the Indian village of ''Acágcheme''.<ref>Kelsey, p. 10</ref> According to a report filed in 1782 by Father Pablo Mugártegui, "''...the site was transferred to that which it occupies today, where we have the advantage of secure water...this transfer was made on [[October 4]], [[1778]].''" <ref>Mission San Juan Capistrano; retrieved on March 29, 2006</ref> The new venue was strategically placed above two nearby [[stream]]s, the [[Trabuco Canyon, California|Trabuco]] and the San Juan. [[Mission San Gabriel Arcángel]] provided [[cattle]] and neophyte labor to assist in the development of new the Mission.
In 1778, the first [[adobe]] ''capilla'' (chapel) was blessed. It was replaced by a larger, 115-foot long house of worship in 1782, which is believed to be the oldest standing building in California. Known proudly as the "Serra Chapel," it has the distinction of being the only remaining church in which the padre is known to have officiated ([[Mission San Francisco de Asis|Mission Dolores]] was still under construction at the time of Serra's visit there). Father Serra presided over the confirmations of 213 people on October 12 and 13, 1783; divine services are held there to this day. The centerpiece of the chapel is its spectacular ''[[retablo]]'' which serves as the backdrop for the altar. A masterpiece of [[Baroque]] art, the altarpiece was hand-carved of 196 individual pieces of cherry wood and overlaid in [[gold leaf]] in [[Barcelona]] and is estimated to be 400 years old. It was originally imported from Barcelona in 1806 and later donated by Archbishop John Cantwell of [[Los Angeles]] (the building had to be enlarged to accommodate this piece). Although the ''retablo'' had been relayered over the centuries, most of the original gilding remains underneath the modern materials; extensive restoration was begun in June, 2006. By the time of the chapel's completion, living quarters, kitchens (''pozolera''), workshops, storerooms, soldiers' barracks (''cuartels''), and a number of other ancillary buildings had also been erected, effectively forming the main ''cuadrángulo'' (quadrangle).
[[Image:1916 Rexford Newcomb plan view -- Mission San Juan Capistrano.jpg|thumb|300px|left|A plan view of the Mission San Juan Capistrano complex (including the footprint of the "Great Stone Church") prepared by architectural historian [[Rexford Newcomb]] in 1916. <ref>Newcomb, p. 15</ref>]]
California's first vineyard was located on the Mission grounds, with the planting of the "Mission" or "[[Criollo]]" grape in 1779, one grown extensively throughout Spanish America at the time but with "an uncertain European origin." It was the only grape grown in the Mission system throughout the mid-1800s. The first winery in Alta California was built in San Juan Capistrano in 1783; both red and white [[wine]]s (sweet and dry), [[brandy]], and a port-like [[fortified wine]] called [[Angelica wine|Angelica]] were all produced from the Mission grape. In 1791, the Mission's two original bells were removed from the tree branch on which they had been hanging for the previous fifteen years and placed within a permanent mounting. Over the next two decades the Mission prospered, and in 1794 over seventy adobe structures were built in order to provide permanent housing for the Mission Indians, some of which comprise the oldest residential neighborhood in California. It was decided that a larger, [[European]]-style church was required to accommodate the growing population. Hoping to construct an edifice of truly magnificent proportions, the padres retained the services of expert [[Mexican]] stonemason '''Isidoro Aguílar'''.<ref>Camphouse, p. 30</ref> Aguílar took charge of the church's construction and set about incorporating numerous design features not found at any other California Mission, including the use of a [[dome]]d roof structure made of [[Rock (geology)|stone]] as opposed to the typical flat wood roof. His elegant roof design called for six [[Vault (architecture)|vaulted]] domes (''bovedas'') to be built.
Work was begun on "The Great Stone Church" on February 2, 1797. It was laid out in the shape of a cross, measuring 180 feet long by 40 feet wide with 50-foot high walls, and included a 120-foot tall ''campanile'' ("bell tower") located adjacent to the main entrance that could be seen for miles around. The building sat on a [[foundation (architecture)|foundation]] seven feet thick. Construction efforts required the participation of the entire ''[[Wiktionary:neophyte|neophyte]]'' population. Stones were quarried from gullies and creek beds up to six miles away and transported in carts (''carretas'') drawn by [[oxen]], carried by hand, and even dragged to the building site. [[Limestone]] was crushed into a powder on the Mission grounds to create a [[mortar (masonry)|mortar]] that was more erosion-resistant than the actual stones.
[[Image:Mission San Juan Capistrano 4-5-05 100 6583.JPG|thumb|300px|right|A close-up view of the majestic ruins of Mission San Juan Capistrano's "Great Stone Church," dubbed the "[[American Acropolis]]" in reference to its classical [[Greco-Roman]] style.]]
Unfortunately, Señor Aguílar died six years into the project. His work was carried on by the padres and their charges, who made their best attempts to emulate the existing construction. Lacking the skills of a master mason, however, led to irregular walls and necessitated the addition of a seventh roof dome. The church was finally completed in 1806, and blessed by Fray Estévan Tapís on the evening of September 7<ref>Yenne, p. 75</ref>. The sanctuary floors were paved with diamond-shaped [[tile]]s, and [[brick]]-lined niches displayed the statues of various saints. It was by all accounts the most magnificent in all of California and a three-day feast was held in celebration of this monumental achievement. Tragedy struck the settlement when on [[December 8]], [[1812]] (the "Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin") a series of massive [[earthquake]]s shook Southern California during the first Sunday service. Twelve years earlier a minor earth [[tremor]] had hit, causing only superficial damage to the work in progress.<ref>Chase and Saunders, p. 27</ref> The 1812 [http://www.data.scec.org/chrono_index/wrightwd.html Wrightwood Earthquake] racked the doors to the church, pinning them shut. When the ground finally stopped shaking, the bulk of the nave had come crashing down, and the bell tower was completely obliterated. Forty-two worshippers from the local [[Acjachemem]] Nation (referred to as Juaneños by the [[Spaniards]]) who were attending mass were buried under the rubble and lost their lives, and were subsequently interred in the Mission cemetery. This was the second major setback the outpost had suffered, and followed severe storms and flooding that damaged Mission buildings and ruined crops earlier in the year.
[[Image:San Juan Capistrano 1880 painting.jpg|thumb|300px|right|''Misión San Juan de Capistrano'' by [[Henry Ford (illustrator)|Henry Chapman Ford]], 1880. The work depicts the rear of the ruined "Great Stone Church" as well as part of the mission's ''campo santos''. A portion of "Serra's Church" is also visible at right.]]
The padres immediately returned to holding services in Serra's Church. Within a year a brick ''campanario'' ("bell wall") had been erected between the ruins of the stone church and the Mission's first chapel to support the four bells salvaged from the rubble of the campanile. As the [[transept]], [[Sanctuary#Sanctuary as a sacred place|sanctuary]] (''reredos''), and ''sacristia'' ([[sacristy]]) were all left standing, an attempt was made to rebuild the stone church in 1815 which failed due to a lack of construction expertise (the latter is the only element that is completely intact today). Consequently, all of the construction work undertaken at the Mission grounds thereafter was of a strictly utilitarian nature. Father José Barona and Father Gerónimo Boscana oversaw the construction of a small infirmary ([[hospital]]) building (located just outside the northwestern corner of the quadrangle) in 1814, "for the convenience of the sick." It is here that Juaneño [[Medicine man|medicine men]] used traditional methods to heal the sick and injured.<ref>Engelhardt, p. 57</ref> [[Archaeological]] excavations in 1937 and 1979 unearthed what are believed to be the building's foundations.
On [[December 14]], [[1818]] the [[France|French]] [[privateer]] [[Hippolyte de Bouchard|Hipólito Bouchard]], sailing under an [[Argentina|Argentine]] flag, brought his ships ''La Argentina'' and ''Santa Rosa'' to within sight of the Mission and sent forth an envoy with a demand for provisions. The [[garrison]] [[soldiers]] were aware that Bouchard (today known as "California's only [[pirate]]") had recently conducted raids on the settlements at [[Monterey, California|Monterey]] and [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]], so the demand was rebuffed and threats of reprisals made.<ref>Yenne, p. 77</ref> In response, ''Pirate Buchar'' ordered an assault on the Mission, sending some 140 men and a trio of cannon to take the needed supplies by force.<ref>Jones p. 170</ref> The Mission guards engaged the attackers but were overwhelmed, and the privateers left several damaged buildings in their wake, including the ''Governor's house'', the ''King's stores'', and the barracks. A celebration is held annually to memorialize the event. Between 1820 and 1823 an ''estancia'' (station) was established a few miles north on the banks of the [[Santa Ana River]] to accommodate the Mission's sizeable cattle herd. The adobe structure built to house the [[Majordomo (domestic staff)|mayordomo]] and his men is known today as the [[Diego Sepúlveda Adobe]].
[[Image:Mission san juan capistrano0001.jpg|thumbnail|300px|right|A [[Islamic architecture|Moorish]]-style fountain inside Mission San Juan Capistrano's central courtyard, built in the 1920s through the efforts of Father St. John O'Sullivan.]]
[[Mexico]] gained its independence from [[Spain]] in 1821. The 1820s and [[1830s|30s]] saw a gradual decline in the Mission's status. Disease thinned out the once ample [[cattle]] [[herd]]s, and a sudden infestation of [[Mustard plant|mustard weed]] made it increasingly difficult to [[cultivate]] [[agriculture|crops]]. Floods and droughts took their toll as well. But the biggest threat to the Mission's stability came from the presence of [[Spanish people|Spanish]] settlers who sought to take over Capistrano's fertile lands. Over time the disillusioned Indian population gradually left the Mission, and without regular maintenance its physical deterioration continued at an accelerated rate.
Nevertheless, there was sufficient activity along [[El Camino Real (California)|El Camino Real]] to justify the construction of the [[Las Flores Asistencia]] in 1823. This facility, situated halfway between San Juan Capistrano and the Mission at [[Mission San Luis Rey de Francia|San Luís Rey]], was intended to act primarily as a rest stop for traveling clergy. During the same period the '''Diego Sepúlveda Adobe''' was established as an ''estancia'' (way-station) for the ''[[vaquero]]s'' ([[cowboys]]) who tended the Mission herds, in what today is the City of [[Costa Mesa, California|Costa Mesa]]. Following secularization, ownership passed to Don Diego Sepúlveda.
Although Governor [[José Figueroa]] (who took office in 1833) initially attempted to keep the mission system intact, the [[Congress of Mexico|Mexican Congress]] nevertheless passed ''An Act for the Secularization of the Missions of California'' on [[August 17]], [[1833]]. Mission San Juan Capistrano was the very first to feel the effects of this legislation the following year.
===The Rancho Era (1834 – 1849)===
[[Image:CHS.J3075.jpg|thumb|300px|left|The caretaker chats with guests beneath the shade of one of Mission San Juan Capistrano's courtyard arcades. The facility's advanced state of decay is evident.]]
The [[Mexican Congress]] passed ''An Act for the Secularization of the Missions of California'' on [[August 17]], [[1833]]. The Act also provided for the colonization of both Alta and Baja California, the expenses of this latter move to be borne by the proceeds gained from the sale of the mission property to private interests. Mission San Juan Capistrano was the very first to feel the effects of this legislation the following year. The [[Franciscans]] abandoned the Mission, taking with them most everything of value, after which the locals plundered the Mission buildings for construction materials. By 1835, little of the Mission's assets remained, though the manufacture of hides and tallow continued as described in [[Richard Henry Dana, Jr.|Richard Henry Dana's]] classic novel ''[[Two Years Before the Mast]]''.<ref>Young, p. 24</ref>
San Juan Capistrano was officially designated as a [[secular]] Mexican [[pueblo]] in 1841, at which time those few who still resided at the Mission were granted sections of land to use as their own. Four years later the Mission property was auctioned off under questionable circumstances for $710 worth of tallow and hides to [[Englishman]] John "Don Juan" Forster (Governor [[Pío Pico]]'s brother-in-law, whose family would take up residence in the Friars' quarters for the next twenty years) and his partner James McKinley. More families would subsequently take up residence in other portions of the Mission buildings.
===California Statehood (1850 – 1900)===
[[Image:Mission San Juan Capistrano 4-5-05 100 6553.JPG|thumb|300px|right|Father José Mut's dining room as it is thought to have looked during his twenty-year stay at the Mission. Some years later, furniture maker and architect [[Gustav Stickley]] (the leading spokesperson for the American [[Arts and Crafts movement]]) would develop a reputation for fine, hand-crafted furnishings that were inspired by pieces such as these.<ref>Cathers, p. 45</ref>]]
In 1860 an abortive attempt at restoring the stone church was the cause of its additional disintegration, forcing the dome over the [[transept]] and its ''[[cupola]]'' (lantern house) to collapse. A [[smallpox]] [[epidemic]] swept through the area in 1862, nearly wiping out the remaining Juaneño Indians. [[Abraham Lincoln|President Abraham Lincoln]] signed a proclamation on [[March 18]], [[1865]] that returned ownership of the Mission proper to the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. The document remains on display in the Mission's barracks ''cum'' museum; it is one of the few documents he ever signed as "Abraham Lincoln" instead of his customary "A. Lincoln." The Mission's sole resident from 1866 to 1886 was its pastor, Father José Mut. Father Mut made certain changes in order to accommodate his own needs, but little was accomplished to prevent further deterioration of the Mission buildings. By 1891 a roof collapse required that the Serra Chapel be abandoned completely. Modifications were made to the original [[adobe]] church (including the addition of a cross-topped ''espadaña'' at the south end, a feature that has been retained in the present iteration of the Mission compound) in order to render it suitable for use as a [[parish]] church.
In 1894, the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]] constructed a new depot in the emerging "[[Mission Revival Style architecture|Mission Revival Style]]" mere blocks from the Mission. It is rumored that the stonework, bricks, and roof tiles were salvaged from the decaying buildings.<ref>Duke, p. 241</ref> The following year, a group calling itself the '''Landmarks Club of Los Angeles''' made the first real efforts at preserving the Mission and restoring it to its original state in over fifty years. Over 400 tons of debris was cleared away, holes in the walls were patched, and new [[Shake (roof)|shake]] [[Thuja plicata|cedar]] roofs were placed over a few of the derelict buildings. A mile of walkways were repaved with asphalt and gravel as well.
===The 20th Century and beyond (1901 – present)===
[[Image:Historic American Buildings Survey Photographed by Henry F. Withey June 1936 VIEW OF SANCTUARY OF SERRA'S CHURCH colorized.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The "Golden Altar," an early [[Baroque]]-style ''retablo'' (altarpiece) situated at the north-end sanctuary of "Father Serra's Church."]]
After Father Mut's departure in 1886 the parish found itself without a permanent pastor, and the Mission languished during this period. Father St. John O'Sullivan arrived in San Juan Capistrano in 1910 to recuperate from a recent stroke, and to seek relief from chronic [[tuberculosis]].<ref>Wright, p. 39</ref> He became fascinated by the scope of the Mission and soon set to work on rebuilding it a section at a time. Father O'Sullivan's first task was to repair the roof of the Serra Chapel (which was being employed as a granary and storeroom) using [[sycamore]] logs to match those that were used in the original work; in the process, the roof of the [[apse]] was raised to allow for the inclusion of a window so that natural light could be brought into the space. Other refurbishments were made as time and funds permitted. Arthur B. Benton, a Los Angeles [[architect]], strengthened the chapel walls through the addition of heavy [[masonry]] [[buttress]]es.
It is rumored that [[silent film]] star [[Mary Pickford|Mary Pickford's]] secret marriage to fellow [[actor]] [[Owen Moore]] in 1911 took place in the Mission chapel. The third act of [[John Steven McGroarty|John Steven McGroarty's]] ''The Mission Play'' (1911) is set "''...amid the broken and deserted walls of Mission San Juan Capistrano (the Mission of the Swallow), in 1847''." Severe flooding destroyed a portion of the Mission's front arcade in 1915, and heavy storms a year later washed away one end of the barracks building, which Father O'Sullivan rebuilt in 1917, incorporating minor modifications such as an ornamental archway in order to make the edifice more closely resemble a church. In 1918 the Mission was given [[parochial]] status with Father O’Sullivan as its first modern pastor. It was on [[April 21]] of that year that the [http://www.data.scec.org/chrono_index/sanj1918.html San Jacinto Earthquake] caused moderate structural damage to some of the buildings. In 1919, author [[Johnston McCulley]] created the character "[[Zorro]]" and chose Mission San Juan Capistrano as the setting for the first novella, titled ''[[The Curse of Capistrano]]''.<ref>Yenne, P. 79</ref>
In 1920, the "Sacred Garden" was created in the courtyard adjacent to the stone church, and in 1925 the full restoration of the Serra Chapel was completed. Father O'Sullivan died in 1933 and was buried in the Mission [[cemetery]]. His tomb lies at the foot of a [[Celtic cross]] the Father himself erected as a [[memorial]] to the Mission's builders. In 1937 representatives of the U.S. [[National Park Service|National Park Service's]] [[Historic American Buildings Survey]], as a part of the [http://www.cr.nps.gov/local-law/FHPL_HistSites.pdf Historic Sites Act of 1935], surveyed and photographed the grounds and structures extensively. Their efforts laid the groundwork for future excavation and reconstruction of the west wing industrial complex.
The prestigious [[World Monuments Fund]] placed "The Great Stone Church" on its ''List of 100 Most Endangered Sites'' in 2002. The most recent series of [[seismic]] retrofits at the Mission were completed in 2004.
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==Mission industries==
[[Image:Brand-mission san juan capistrano.png|thumb|300px|The cattle [[Livestock branding|brand]] used at Mission San Juan Capistrano.]]
The goal of the missions was, above all, to become self-sufficient in relatively short order. [[Farming]], therefore, was the most important [[industry]] of any mission. [[Barley]], [[maize]], and [[wheat]] were the principal crops grown at San Juan Capistrano; [[cattle]], [[horses]], [[mules]], [[sheep]], and [[goat]]s were all raised by the hundreds as well. In 1790 the Mission's herd included 7,000 sheep and goats, 2,500 cattle, and 200 mules and horses. [[Olive]]s were grown, cured, and pressed under large stone [[wheel]]s to extract their [[Vegetable oil|oil]], both for use at the Mission and to trade for other goods. [[Grapes]] were also grown and [[fermentation (food)|ferment]]ed into [[wine]] for [[sacramental]] use and again, for trading. The specific variety, called the ''Criolla'' or "[[Mission (grape)|Mission grape]]," was first planted at the Mission in 1779; in 1783, the first wine produced in Alta California emerged from San Juan Capistrano's winery. [[Cereal]] grains were dried and ground by stone into [[flour]]. The Mission's [[kitchen]]s and [[bakery|bakeries]] prepared and served thousands of meals each day. [[Candles]], [[soap]], [[Grease (lubricant)|grease]], and [[ointment]]s were all made from [[tallow]] ([[kitchen rendering|rendered]] [[animal]] [[fat]]) in large [[vat]]s located just outside the west wing. Also situated in this general area were vats for dyeing [[wool]] and [[tanning]] [[leather]], and primitive [[loom]]s for [[weaving]]s. Large ''bodegas'' (warehouses) provided long-term storage for preserved foodstuffs and other treated materials.
[[Image:Mission San Juan Capistrano 4-5-05 100 6559.JPG|thumb|300px|right|A view of the [[Catalan forge]]s at Mission San Juan Capistrano, the oldest existing facilities (''circa'' 1790s) of their kind in the State of California. The sign at the lower right-hand corner proclaims the site as being "''...part of Orange County's first industrial complex.''"]]
Three long ''zanjas'' ([[aqueducts]]) ran through the central courtyard and deposited the water they collected into large [[cistern]]s in the industrial area, where it was filtered for drinking and cooking, or dispensed for use in cleaning. The Mission had to fabricate all of its construction materials as well. Workers in the ''carpintería'' ([[carpentry]] shop) used crude methods to shape beams, lintels, and other structural elements; more skilled artisans carved doors, furniture, and wooden implements. For certain applications bricks (''ladrillos'') were fired in [[oven]]s ([[kilns]]) to strengthen them and make them more resistant to the elements; when ''tejas'' (roof tiles) eventually replaced the conventional ''jacal'' roofing (densely-packed reeds) they were placed in the kilns to harden them as well. Glazed ceramic pots, dishes, and canisters were also made in the Mission's kilns.
Prior to the arrival of the missions, the native peoples knew only how to utilize bone, seashells, stone, and wood for building, tool making, weapons, and so forth. The [[foundry]] at Mission San Juan Capistrano was the first to introduce the Indians to the [[Iron Age]]. The [[blacksmith]] used the Mission’s [[Catalan forge|Catalan furnaces]] (California’s first) to [[smelt]] and fashion [[iron]] into everything from basic tools and hardware (such as [[nails]]) to crosses, gates, hinges, even [[cannon]] for Mission defense. Iron was one commodity in particular that the Mission relied solely on trade to acquire, as the missionaries had neither the know-how nor the technology to [[mining|mine]] and process [[metal]] [[ore]]s.
==The Mission bells==
[[Image:Mission San Juan Capistrano 4-5-05 100 6548.JPG|thumb|300px|right|A view of Mission San Juan Capistrano's "Sacred Garden" that was developed in 1920. The four-bell ''campanario'' was erected a year after the bell tower at "The Great Stone Church" was toppled in the 1812 earthquake.]]
Bells were vitally important to daily life at any mission. The bells were rung at mealtimes, to call the Mission residents to work and to religious services, during births and funerals, to signal the approach of a ship or returning missionary, and at other times. All four of Mission San Juan Capistrano's bells are named and all bear inscriptions as follows (from the largest to the smallest; inscriptions are translated from [[Latin]]):
* "''Praised by [[Jesus]], '''San Vicente'''. In honor of the Reverend Fathers, Ministers (of the Mission) Fray Vicente Fuster, and Fray Juan Santiago, 1796.''"
* "''Hail Mary most pure. Ruelas made me, and my name is '''San Juan''', 1796.''"
* "''Hail Mary most pure, '''San Antonio''', 1804.''"
* "''Hail Mary most pure, '''San Rafael''', 1804.''"
In the aftermath of the 1812 earthquake, the two largest bells cracked and split open. Due to this damage neither produced clear tones. Regardless, they were hung in the campanario that went up the following year.
On [[March 22]], [[1969]] [[Richard Nixon|President Richard M. Nixon]] and [[First Lady]] [[Patricia Nixon]] visited the Mission and rang the Bell of San Rafael. A bronze plaque commemorating the event is set in the bell wall. In celebration of the new Mission church being elevated to minor basilica status in 2000, exact duplicates of the damaged bells were cast in the [[Netherlands]], utilizing molds made from the originals. The replacement bells were placed in the bell wall and the old ones put on display within the footprint of the destroyed Mission ''campanile'' ("bell tower").
=="The return of the swallows"==
[[Image:Mission San Juan Capistrano 4-5-05 100 6552.JPG|thumb|250px|left|Looking down the [[Arcade (architecture)|arcade]] at Mission San Juan Capistrano's old adobe chapel. Cliff Swallows, annual visitors to the Mission, typically build their nests here. Note that much of the [[plaster]] finish has come off, exposing the [[brick]]s beneath to the elements.]]
The [[Cliff Swallow]] (''Petrochelidon pyrrhonota'') is a [[migratory]] bird that spends its winters in [[Goya, Corrientes|Goya]], [[Argentina]] but makes the 6,000-mile trek north to the warmer climes of the [[American Southwest]] in springtime. According to legend the birds, who have visited the San Juan Capistrano area every Summer for centuries, first took refuge at the Mission when an irate innkeeper began destroying their mud nests. The Mission's ___location near two [[river]]s made it an ideal ___location for the swallows to nest, as there was a constant supply of the [[insect]]s on which they feed, and the young birds are well-protected inside the ruins of the old stone church.
Father O'Sullivan made note of the birds' annual habit of nesting beneath the Mission's eaves and archways, from Spring through Fall, during his two decades in residence. On [[March 13]], [[1939]] a popular radio program was broadcast live from the Mission grounds, announcing the swallows' return. Composer [[Leon René]] was so inspired by the event that he penned the song ''When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano'' in tribute.<ref>Leffingwell, p. 39</ref> During its initial release the song spent several weeks atop the ''[[Your Hit Parade]]'' charts. The song has been recorded by such musicians as [[The Ink Spots]], [[Fred Waring]], [[Guy Lombardo]], and [[Glenn Miller]]. A glassed-off room in the Mission has been designated in René's honor and displays the upright piano on which he composed the tune, the reception desk from his office and several copies of the song's sheet music and other pieces of furniture, all donated by René's family.
Each year the City of San Juan Capistrano sponsors the ''Fiesta de las Golondrinas'', a week-long celebration of this auspicious event. Tradition has it that the main [[flock]] arrives on [[March 19]] (''[[Saint Joseph|Saint Joseph's Day]]''), and flies south on ''[[Giovanni da Capistrano|Saint John's Day]]'', [[October 23]].
<br>
::::::::::::'''''When the swallows come back to Capistrano'''''
::::::::::::'''''That's the day you promised to come back to me'''''
::::::::::::'''''When you whispered, "Farewell," in Capistrano'''''
::::::::::::''''''twas the day the swallows flew out to sea'''''
:::::::::::::<small>excerpt from "When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano" by Leon René</small>
==Other historic designations==
* [[California Historical Landmark]] [http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=21445 #227] — Diego Sepúlveda Adobe ''Estancia''
* [http://www.asminternational.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Membership/AwardsProgram/HistoricalLandmarks/Landmarks.htm ASM International Historical Landmark] (1988) — "Metalworking Furnaces"
* [http://wmf.org/html/programs/ussanj.html World Monuments Fund ''List of 100 Most Endangered Sites''] (2002) — "The Great Stone Church"
==Notes==
[[Image:San Juan Capistrano circa 1910 William Amos Haines.jpg|thumb|300px|right|An overall view of "The Mission of the Swallow" around the time of Father St. John O'Sullivan's arrival in 1910.]]
[[Image:Fray Engelhardt SJC 1915.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Clerical historian Father [[Zephyrin Engelhardt]], O.F.M. visits Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1915.]]
<references/>
==References==
[[Image:MSJC_by_John_Gutzon-Borglum.jpg|thumb|300px|An 1894 painting by [[Fred Behre]] and [[Gutzon Borglum|John Gutzon Borglum]] depicts the intact Mission. Watercolor and gouache.]]
* {{cite book|author=Camphouse, Marjorie|year=1974|title=Guidebook to the Missions of California|publisher=Anderson, Ritchie & Simon, Los Angeles, CA|id=ISBN 0-378-03792-7}}
* {{cite book|author=Cathers, David M.|year=1981|title=Furniture of the American Arts and Crafts Movement|publisher=The New American Library, Inc|id=ISBN 0453003974}}
* Chase, J. and Saunders, C. (1974). "Mission San Juan Capistrano." ''American West'' '''40''' (7) 22-29.
* {{cite book|author=Duke, Donald|year=1995|title=Santa Fe: The Railroad Gateway to the American West, Volume One|publisher=Golden West Books, San Marino, CA|id=ISBN 0-87095-110-6}}
* {{cite book|author=Engelhardt, Zephyrin|year=1922|title=San Juan Capistrano Mission|publisher=Standard Printing Co., Los Angeles, CA|id=}}
* {{cite book|author=Kelsey, H.|year=1993|title=Mission San Juan Capistrano: A Pocket History|publisher=Interdisciplinary Research, Inc., Altadena, CA|id=}}
* {{cite book|author=Jones, Roger W.|year=1997|title=California from the Conquistadores to the Legends of Laguna|publisher=Rockledge Enterprises, Laguna Hills, CA|id=}}
* {{cite book|author=Leffingwell, Randy|year=2005|title=California Missions and Presidios: The History & Beauty of the Spanish Missions|publisher=Voyageur Press, Inc., Stillwater, MN|id=ISBN 0-89658-492-5}}
* {{cite book|author=Newcomb, Rexford|year=1973|title=The Franciscan Mission Architecture of Alta California|publisher=Dover Publications, Inc., New York, NY|id=ISBN 0-486-21740-X}}
* {{cite book|author=Ruscin, Terry|year=1999|title=Mission Memoirs|publisher=Sunbelt Publications, San Diego, CA|id=ISBN 0-932653-30-8}}
* {{cite book|author=Wright, Ralph B.|year=1950|title=California's Missions|publisher=Hubert A. and Martha H. Lowman, Arroyo Grande, CA|id=}}
* {{cite book|author=Yenne, Bill|year=2004|title=The Missions of California|publisher=Thunder Bay Press, San Diego, CA|id=ISBN 1-59223-319-8}}
* {{cite book|author=Young, Stanley and Melba Levick|year=1988|title=The Missions of California|publisher=Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, CA|id=ISBN 0-8118-3694-0}}
* {{cite web|title=Mission San Juan Capistrano|work=San Juan Capistrano Historical Society|url=http://www.sjchistoricalsociety.com/missionsjc.html|accessdate=March 29|accessyear=2006}}
==See also==
* [[Spanish missions in California]]
* [[Diego Sepúlveda Adobe]]
* [[Las Flores Asistencia]]
* [[USNS Mission Capistrano (AO-112)|USNS ''Mission Capistrano'' (AO-112)]] — a [[USNS Mission Buenaventura (AO‑111)|''Mission Buenaventura'']] Class [[Oiler (ship)|fleet oiler]] built during [[World War II]].
==External links==
[[Image:Basilica San Juan Capistrano 1987.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Basilica at San Juan Capistrano, designed after the "Great Stone Church," in 1987.]]
* [http://www.missionparish.org/ Official parish website]
* [http://www.mymission.org/images/juancap.gif Elevation & Site Layout sketches of the Mission proper]
* [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=hhdatapage&fileName=ca/ca0400/ca0449/data/hhdatapage.db&recNum=0&itemLink=D?hh:73:./temp/~ammem_y9wL:: Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record]
* [http://virtualguidebooks.com/SouthCalif/LosAngeles/Capistrano/CapistranoStoneChurch.html Virtual Reality Panorama of "The Ruined Stone Church"]
* [http://virtualguidebooks.com/SouthCalif/LosAngeles/Capistrano/CapistranoColonnade.html Virtual Reality Panorama of the "Cloister Colonnade at Mission San Juan Capistrano"]
* [http://virtualguidebooks.com/SouthCalif/LosAngeles/Capistrano/CapistranoCourtyard.html Virtual Reality Panorama of "The Inner Courtyard"]
* [http://virtualguidebooks.com/SouthCalif/LosAngeles/Capistrano/CapistranoSerraChapel.html Virtual Reality Panorama of "Father Serra's Chapel"]
* [http://www.missionsjc.com/pdf/edu/DailyLife.pdf Daily Life at Mission San Juan Capistrano] ([[PDF]])
* [http://www.missionsjc.com/pdf/edu/MissionIndians.pdf Indians of the Mission] ([[PDF]])
* [http://www.octhen.com/Landmarks/Mission/lca/index.htm "Little Chapters about San Juan Capistrano" by Father St. John O'Sullivan, 1912]
* [http://www.webroots.org/library/usahist/ca/cahaoto0.html "Chinigchinich; a Historical Account of the Origin, Customs, and Traditions of the Indians at the Missionary Establishment of St. Juan Capistrano, Alta California Called The Acagchemem Nation" by The Reverend Father Friar Gerónimo Boscana, 1846]
* [http://www.juaneno.com/ Official website of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemem Nation]
{|
[[Image:CHS.J3074.jpg|thumb|300px|left|One of the earliest examples of "Mission Revival Style" architecture, the Sante Fe Railway depot in San Juan Capistrano (with its 40-foot high dome and bell) was considered to be one of the railroad's finest when it was completed on October 8, 1894.]]
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[[Image:Mission San Juan Capistrano circa 1921.jpg|thumb|300px|right|This ''circa'' 1921 view of the Mission San Juan Capistrano complex documents the restoration work that was already well underway by that time. The perimeter garden wall, including the ornate entranceway, is an early-20th century addition.]]
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{{California Missions}}
[[Category:1776 establishments]]
[[Category:1782 architecture]]
[[Category:Basilica churches in North America|San Juan Capistrano]]
[[Category:California Historical Landmarks]]
[[Category:California missions]]
[[Category:Orange County, California]]
[[Category:Registered Historic Places in California]]
[[Category:NRHP theme - religious]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange]]
[[Category:Minor basilica churches]]
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