Location: San Juan Capistrano, California, USA
Summary: A brief stop at Mission San Juan Capistrano brought back memories of my first visit as a teenager. We explored the peaceful gardens, the old adobe walls, and learned more about the famous swallows that return each year. The Mission’s long and complex history, from its founding in 1775 to its preservation today, makes it one of California’s most fascinating historic sites.
I first visited Mission San Juan Capistrano as a teenager with my mum and dad, and I still remember how much I loved the gardens and the bells lining the old adobe walls. It was one of those places that stays with you, even years later.
On this escorted tour, we stopped at the Mission again on our way from Los Angeles to San Diego. It was only a brief visit, just enough time to wander through the grounds, admire the gardens, and take in the peaceful atmosphere. Even in a short stop, the Mission has a way of drawing you in.
Fun Fact
Mission San Juan Capistrano is famous for the annual return of its swallows, a migration so well known that it inspired the hit song “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano,” recorded by several artists including The Ink Spots and Glenn Miller.
Photos from Mission San Juan Capistrano
A Brief History of Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano was first founded by Father Lasuén on October 30th, 1775, becoming the seventh of the twenty-one missions established in Alta California. Like the missions before it, its purpose was to expand Spain’s territorial reach and to spread Christianity among the Native peoples of California.
By 1806, the Mission had grown into a thriving community with more than 1,000 residents and over 10,000 head of cattle. But after 1812, the Mission began to decline. When Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, Alta California became Mexican territory, and by 1834, the Mexican government decided to end the mission system entirely.
Following secularisation, the Mission’s vast landholdings were divided and sold to twenty prominent California families. In 1845, Governor Pío Pico even sold the Mission itself at auction to his brother-in-law, John Forster, for $710, despite it being valued at more than $54,000. For the next twenty years, the Mission served as a private ranch for the Forster family.
Another major shift came after the Mexican-American War. With the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, California was ceded to the United States. Eventually, President Abraham Lincoln returned the Mission properties to the Catholic Church.
Today, Mission San Juan Capistrano continues its preservation efforts with the support of donations. Although the Catholic Church owns the site, it is operated by a non-profit organisation dedicated to maintaining and restoring this important piece of California history.
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