San Jose California ~ Missions and More
Santa Cruz - Mission and Church
"It’s exhilarating to have a new adventure every day." - Monono Cheney
Even if it isn’t entirely new. After exploring the California Missions in Southern California, I decided to wander around to a few in Northern California during a recent business trip to the Silicon Valley.
The Spanish came to the California coast and created a foothold using the church. The Spanish Mission system disrupted Native lifeways and traditions through the use of forced manual labor, severe punishments, and the spread of deadly disease. Despite this violence, California Native American people survived, persisted, and continue to practice their culture and traditions and the Spanish left behind these churches that are still active even today after 200 plus years.
I will admit that I had a single-minded focus on exploring the missions and therefore on the first attempt missed other places of interest that would have added to the ambiance of a day spent wandering in some of these areas.
My first stop was Santa Cruz California. I ignored all the signs for the board walk and other interesting places and headed straight for the mission. This is a cute beach town area that I’ve promised myself to come back and wander through. I would also like to see the inside of the church that looks beautiful from the pictures that I have seen.
My luck was really out on this day because despite a sign that said that the mission church was open and accessible through the gift shop, the gift shop was closed. I had to content myself wandering around the square and enjoying the two churches and some beautiful homes as well as a restored dormitory which is the only surviving building from the original mission complex.
My next stop took me to Santa Clara where the trail ended inside the University Campus. The El Camino Real and the Mission Church has been encompassed inside the grounds of the university.
What a beautiful location! This stop made up for all that I missed earlier and restored my resolve and confidence as I wandered around along with students and visiting parents.
The bell marker for the El Camino Real is located inside a beautiful maintained green quad lined with flowers right outside the church.
Mission Santa Clara de Asis
The mission, which was the eighth in California, was founded on January 12, 1777, by the Franciscan order. Named for Saint Clare of Assisi, an early companion of St. Francis of Assisi, this was the first California mission to be named in honor of a woman.
This is the only mission located on the grounds of a university campus, the university having been built around the mission. Although ruined and rebuilt six times, today it functions as the university chapel for Santa Clara University.
The interior of the church is cool and soothing. I saw many students and parents wander in and take a pew for a few seconds to take in the peaceful atmosphere.
The best part of this location is the beautiful green belt that seems like the heart of the campus. Students leaned against trees, relaxing or reading, squirrels chattered as they raced through the lawn and flower beds. One became my companion on the bench where I parked myself to inhale this beauty and the conduct some business via my smart phone.
As I sat there half dreaming in the sunshine, I wondered what those Franciscan priests would think if they could time travel to today?
My last stop for that day was the Mission San Jose founded on June 11, 1797. It was originally established East of its current location then quickly moved due to the hostility of the local native tribes.
After suffering decline, neglect and earthquakes most of this mission was in ruins before restoration efforts have reconstructed many of the original structures.
The Mission cemetery (camp Santo), where a great number of Mission pioneers are buried, is situated to the side of the church.
The mission chapel is still used for prayer services. The richly decorated interior follows the descriptions in the historic inventories of the 1830s. The crystal chandeliers are copies of period pieces similar to ones listed in the old church inventories. Two of the original statues have been placed on the two side altars. The original baptismal font of hammered copper on a turned wood base has been returned to the church, as has the bell wheel used by the Ohlones during the sacred parts of the Mass.
The altar and choir railings were copied from an original piece found in the museum during the reconstruction.
on my drive back to Southern California I stopped at the town of San Juan Bautista to visit the mission there. The 15th and largest of the 21 missions established in California, this is known as the Mission of Music and dedicated to John the Baptist.
Despite being located right on the San Andreas fault the mission suffered little damage during the 1906 earthquake and serves as the religious center for the local population. I arrived on Sunday morning and church services were taking place in the large outdoor garden.
This complex is large and well preserved, and I got to wander through the mission complex as well as the quaint town that surrounds it.
The original and only unpaved section of the El Camino Real can be found just below the mission church.
This section right below the mission marks the San Andreas fault line that straddles the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. A friend told me that to make sure I climbed down the steps to make my way down. I imagined a hole in the earth, but a local park ranger soon set me right. Though she warned me that the walls are warped from the effect.
While I took the requisite picture, I did not see any waving or warping. It’s a bit hard to imagine that this dirt track is part of the formidable San Andreas Fault and also the only section of the El Camino Real that remains in its original state.
To finish off my morning, I wandered through the so very quaint town of San Juan Bautista that grew up around the mission. I was reminded of the quaint pastoral and seaside towns that are so characteristic of California.
Fortified by a delicious margarita and fabulous Mexican lunch eaten in a garden atmosphere I headed to my car and the boring drive back home to Southern California.