While I drove by San Juan Bautista on SR152 prior to the 17 October 1989 Loma Prieta Quake when I made fishing trips in the Sierras east of the San Joaquin Valley cities of Madera south through Visalia, I changed my route even for fishing trips to Tuolumne County, for which I formerly had been motoring through the SF Bay Area.
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But now that I've retired and no longer am caring for one or both of my parents, I have time to stop and investigate some of the things I have whizzed by during my many Sierra fishing trips. Here are four photos taken Monday 13 Dec.
The first thing which impresses one at Mission SJB is its size; it's the only mission of the 21 California missions which has 3 aisles. (Presumably, all of the others have 1 or 2 aisles.) And it's still in use -- though the San Carlos Catholic Church in Monterey bills itself as the oldest, continuously-used church of that denomination in the United States.
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There are likely older churches in Saint Augustine, Florida, dating from the 1500s whereas most, but likely not all, of the California missions were built during the last half of the 1700s -- if memory serves.
This second shot includes a sign containing the following information: "MISSION SAN JUAN BAUTISTA. Founded June 23?, 1797 by Father Lasuen. 15th of the 21 missions. Largest and only church with 3 aisles. Dedicated in 1812. Monastery wing consisted of 36 rooms. This mission has never been abandoned. It is now the parrish church of San Juan Bautista."
Here's the text from the third photo.
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El Camino Royale: California's Royal Road. In 1769 Spain began occupying what is now California. Franciscan padres supervised the construction of 21 missions to convert the Californian Indians to Roman Catholicism and teach them European agriculture and trade. The military established four presedios (forts) to protect the new colonies.
Travel between the new settlements was difficult due to the great distances and rough terrain. Establishing a connecting road system was vital to the Spanish success. The native Californians had established routes to their hunting, gathering, and trade areas. The road and routes varied with the seasons. The Spanish followed and expanded these existing routes to link the missions, presedios, and peublos (towns). Some of these routes became the Royal Road, today's El Camino Real.
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Today, US-101 and California SR1 follow much of the El Camino Real.
The fourth and final snapshot is of Plaza Hall (not to be confused with the Plaza Hotel, which is across Third Street from the mission), and a large barn or stables.
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