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SAN GABRIEL ARCÁNGEL

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s LERNER PUBLICATIONS COMPANY / MINNEAPOLIS

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BY

DIANNE M. MACMILLAN❖

CONSULTANT:JAMES J. RAWLS, PH. D.PROFESSOR EMERITUS

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

DIABLOVALLEY COLLEGE

The images in this book are used with permission of: © North Wind Picture Archives, pp. 6, 14, 22, 40, 47; © Eda Rogers, pp. 8,35, 36, 38, 57; San Diego Museum of Man, p. 10; © Marilyn “Angel” Wynn/Nativestock.com, p. 11; Courtesy of the BancroftLibrary, University of California, Berkeley, pp. 12, 34, 48, 52; Collection of the Santa Barbara Historical Society, p. 15; © LakeCounty Museum/CORBIS, p. 16; © age fotostock/SuperStock, p. 18; © Richard Cummins/CORBIS, p. 21; ZephyrinEngelhardt, The Missions and Missionaries of California, 1908-1915, pp. 23, 26, 43; © Tom Brakefield/SuperStock, p. 29; VenturaCounty Museum of History and Art, p. 31; © Charles Fredeen, p. 32; California Historical Society, Title Insurance and TrustPhoto Collection, Department of Special Collections, University of Southern California Library, pp. 37, 53; The HuntingtonLibrary, San Marino, CA, pp. 42, 46; Library of Congress, p. 45 (LC-USZ62-108463); Special Collections, Tutt Library,Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, p. 49; Seaver Center for Western History, Los Angeles County Museum of NaturalHistory, pp. 50, 54, 55; © Diane C. Lyell, p. 56. Illustrations on pp. 4, 13, 25, 58, 59 by © Laura Westlund/Independent PictureService.

Front cover: © age fotostock/SuperStock.Back cover: © Laura Westlund/Independent Picture Service.

Copyright © 2008 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortransmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the priorwritten permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Lerner Publications CompanyA division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.241 First Avenue NorthMinneapolis, MN 55401 U.S.A.

Website address: www.lernerbooks.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

MacMillan, Dianne M., 1943–Los Angeles area missions / by Dianne MacMillan.

p. cm. — (Exploring California missions)Includes index.ISBN-13: 978–0–8225–0898–4 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper)1. Missions, Spanish—California—Los Angeles Region—History—Juvenile literature. 2. Los Angeles Region (Calif.)—

History, Local—Juvenile literature. 3. Mission San Gabriel Arcangel (San Gabriel, Calif.)—History—Juvenile literature.4. San Buenaventura Mission—History—Juvenile literature. 5. San Fernando, Rey de España (Mission : San Fernando,Calif.)—History—Juvenile literature. 6. Spanish mission buildings—California—Los Angeles Region—Juvenile literature.7. Indians of North America—Missions—California—Los Angeles Region—History—Juvenile literature. 8. California—History—To 1846—Juvenile literature. I. Title. F869.L88A238 2008979.4'94—dc22 2006039020

Manufactured in the United States of America1 2 3 4 5 6 – DP – 13 12 11 10 09 08

CONTENTSIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

1 ❖ EARLY LIFE ALONG THE COAST . . . . . . . . . 9

2 ❖ MISSIONS OF THE LOS ANGELES AREA . . . 19

3 ❖ STATE CONTROL OF THE MISSIONS . . . . . 41

4 ❖ THE MISSIONS IN MODERN TIMES . . . . . . 51

Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Pronunciation Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

To Learn More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

101 Highlights of Present-Day California

SA

N J O

AQ

UI M

V

AL L E Y

CO

AS

TA

L

R

AN

GE

SVentura R.

Point Conception

SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL

A San Francisco SolanoB San Rafael ArcángelC San Francisco de AsísD San JoséE Santa Clara de AsísF Santa CruzG San Juan BautistaH San Carlos BorromeoI SoledadJ San Antonio de PaduaK San Miguel ArcángelL San Luis ObispoM La PurísimaN Santa InésO Santa BárbaraP San BuenaventuraQ San Fernando ReyR San Gabriel ArcángelS San Juan CapistranoT San Luis Rey de FranciaU San Diego de Alcalá

CALIFORNIA MISSIONS

SI

ER

RA

N

EV

AD

A

M O J A V E D E S E R T

C A L I F O R N I A

0 20 40 60 80

0 40 12080

100Miles

Kilometers

City

Mission (see list below left)

County

El Camino Reál

U.S. Highway

Capital city

101

SanMiguel

San Luis Obispo

KingCity

Soledad

San JuanBautista

Santa ClaraSan Jose

Fremont

SanFrancisco

Sonoma

San Rafael

Sacramento

Santa Cruz

MontereyCarmel

La Purísima

LompocSolvang

Santa Barbara

VenturaSan Fernando

LosAngeles

San Gabriel

San Juan Capistrano

Oceanside

San Diego

San DiegoBay

San PabloBay

BodegaBay

Montery Bay

SantaMonica

Bay

Santa Ynez

SanMiguel

I. SantaRosa

I.

SantaCruz

I.

AnacapaIs.

SantaBarbara

I.San

NicolasI.

SantaCatalina

I.San

ClementeI.

PACIFIC O CEAN

PACIFICO CEAN

SAN DIEGO PRESIDIO

SANTA BARBARA PRESIDIO

Stanislaus Riv

er

San Joaquim River

Nacimiento R.

Los Angeles R.

San Diego R.

San Gabriel R.

Santa Ana R.

Santa Clara R.

Santa Ynez R.

Salinas R.

Carmel R.

San Antonio R.

PajaroR.

San Lorenzo R.

Guadelupe R.

MONTEREY PRESIDIO

Sacramento R

iverA

B

C

DE

FG

H

I

JK

L

M N

OP

QR

S

T

U

San FranciscoBay

SAN FRANCISCOPRESIDIO

NEVADA

M E X I C O

UN ITED STATES

MEXICO

VENTURACOUNTY

ORANGECOUNTY

B A J A C A L I F O R N I A

N

5

Alcatraz Island

SANTA BARBARA ISLANDS

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5

INTRODUCTIONSpain and the Roman Catholic Church built twenty California missionsbetween 1769 and 1817. A final mission was built in 1823. The missionsstand along a narrow strip of California’s Pacific coast. Today, the missionssit near Highway 101. They are between the cities of San Diego and Sonoma.

The Spaniards built presidios (forts) and missions throughout theirempire. This system helped the Spanish claim and protect new lands. InCalifornia, the main goal of the mission system was to control NativeAmericans and their lands. The Spaniards wanted Native Americans toaccept their leadership and way of life.

Spanish missionaries and soldiers ran the presidio and mission system.Father Junípero Serra was the missions’ first leader. He was called father-president. Father Serra and the other priests taught Native Americans theCatholic faith. The priests showed them how to behave like Spaniards. Thesoldiers made sure Native Americans obeyed the priests.

The area was home to many Native American groups. They had theirown beliefs and practices. The Spanish ways were much different from theirown. Some Native Americans willingly joined the missions. But others didnot. They did not want to give up their own ways of life.

The Spaniards tried different methods to make Native Americans jointheir missions. Sometimes they gave the Native Americans gifts. Othertimes, the Spanish used force. To stay alive, the Native Americans had nochoice but to join the missions.

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6

The Spanish called NativeAmericans who joined their missionsneophytes. The Spaniards taughtneophytes the Catholic religion. Theneophytes built buildings andfarmed the land. They also producedgoods, such as cloth and soap. Theybuilt a trade route connecting themissions. It was called El CaminoReál (the Royal Road). The goodsand trade were expected to earnmoney and power for Spain.

But the system did not last.More than half of the Native Americans died from diseases the Spaniardsbrought. Mexico took control of the missions in 1821. Neophytes were freeto leave or stay at the missions. In 1848, the United States gained control ofCalifornia and closed the missions. Some of the remaining neophytesreturned to their people. But many others had no people to return to. Theymoved to pueblos (towns) or inland areas. The missions sat empty. They fellapart over time.

This book is about three missions in the Los Angeles area of California.Spanish missionaries built San Gabriel Arcángel, San Buenaventura, andSan Fernando Rey de España.

Spanish missionary Father Garzesinstructs Native Americans.

CALIFORNIA MISSION FOUNDING DATESan Diego de Alcalá July 16, 1769San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo June 3, 1770San Antonio de Padua July 14, 1771San Gabriel Arcángel September 8, 1771San Luis Obispo de Tolosa September 1, 1772San Francisco de Asís June 29, 1776San Juan Capistrano November 1, 1776Santa Clara de Asís January 12, 1777San Buenaventura March 31, 1782Santa Bárbara Virgen y Mártir December 4, 1786La Purísima Concepción de Maria Santísima December 8, 1787Santa Cruz August 28, 1791Nuestra Señora de la Soledad October 9, 1791San José June 11, 1797San Juan Bautista June 24, 1797San Miguel Arcángel July 25, 1797San Fernando Rey de España September 8, 1797San Luis Rey de Francia June 13, 1798Santa Inés Virgen y Mártir September 17, 1804San Rafael Arcángel December 14, 1817San Francisco Solano July 4, 1823

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7

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8

Huge oak trees spread their leaves over the dry, grassyarea of what has become modern-day Los Angeles.

Los Angeles, California, is known for its gleamingskyscrapers and crowded freeways. But thousands of yearsago, this area was far different. Antelope grazed in grassymeadows. Rabbits lived beneath giant oak trees. Whales,dolphins, sharks, and shellfish swam in the Pacific Ocean.

The area was also home to many Native Americans(also called American Indians). There were two maingroups in the Los Angeles area. They were the Chumashand the Tongva.

EARLY LIFEALONG THE

COAST

❖1❖

EARLY LIFEALONG THE

COAST

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9

These people felt a closeconnection to Earth and otherliving things. They believedthat each plant, animal,mountain, lake, and river had aspirit. They treated these spiritswith respect. And they took only whatthey needed to live.

The Chumash people lived in villagesalong the Pacific coast. These villagesstretched north from modern-dayVentura County to central California.The Chumash also lived on islandsnear the coast.

The Tongva people lived south of theChumash. Their villages covered much ofmodern-day Los Angeles. They also lived inSan Fernando and Orange County. TheTongva had villages on Santa Catalina andother islands too.

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10

Deer-hoofrattles were

used inspecial

rituals andcelebrations.

NATIVE AMERICAN LIFENature provided everything the Chumash and Tongvaneeded. They drank from the rivers and streams. Womengathered acorns, berries, and seaweed for food. Men broughthome game and fish.

The Chumash and Tongva made clothing and blanketsfrom feathers and animal skins. They built homes shapedlike domes from young trees and stiff reeds.

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11

The Tongva andChumash madehomes by cover-

ing a dome ofwicker branches

with grass.

The day’s work depended on the season and the people’sneeds. If people were hungry, they looked for food. If theywere tired, they rested.

Villagers started the day by bathing in a stream. Chumashand Tongva men also liked sweat baths. They went into asmall building the Spanish called a temescal, or sweat lodge.There, the men gathered around a hot fire. They got hot andsweaty. Then they jumped into the ocean or a cool stream.

❖

12

Before hunting orsacred ceremonies,

Chumash andTongva men

purified themselvesin a sweat lodge.

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13

Art and music were important parts of village life.Craftspeople carved wooden boats and wove baskets. Theyalso shaped beautiful containers from wood or stone. Peopleused shells as money. And they made jewelry from shells.Musicians played flutes and otherinstruments and shook rattles.People sang songs as a way to teach,worship, and celebrate. Villageelders told stories to teach childrenthe history of their people.

NEWCOMERSIn 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillosailed north from Baja California.Baja California was part of a Spanishsettlement called New Spain(modern-day Mexico). Cabrillo’sjob was to explore the coast of AltaCalifornia (modern-day California).Native Americans greeted Cabrillo

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14

Juan RodríguezCabrillo was a

Portugese explorerwho worked for

the Spanish government.

and his crew. They gave the Spaniards food and water. TheSpaniards gave the Native Americans beads and other giftsin return. Cabrillo claimed Alta California for Spain. Hedid this even though people were already living there.

In 1769, the king of Spain decided it was time to dosomething with this land. He sent Captain Gaspar dePortolá and a group of soldiers to Alta California. Theywere to set up presidios.

❖

15

The Chumash madecanoes, called

tomols, for fishingand travel. When

the Spaniardsarrived, the

Chumash paddledout to meet them.

These forts were used to protect the land from attack. ACatholic priest named Father Junípero Serra went withthem. He wanted to set up missions. Father Serra would usethe missions to teach the Catholic faith.

THE MISSION SYSTEMIn 1769, Father Serra blessed a site for thefirst mission in Alta California. He namedit San Diego de Alcalá. The priest wantedto spread his faith. He left two otherpriests in charge. Then he continued upthe coast to set up more missions. Thesemissions were a long way from the firstSpanish settlements in San Diego.

The missions were set up to convinceNative Americans to become Catholics.The priests also wanted NativeAmericans to become subjects of theSpanish empire and follow Spanish rule.Then Spain would have many people at its

Father Junípero Serra wasfifty-six years old when he

founded San Diego de Alcalá.

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16

missions in Alta California. That would show othercountries that the land belonged to Spain.

The missions needed these new Catholics to succeed. Theneophytes would build the mission buildings. They wouldclear land and grow crops. They would also make most ofthe goods the settlements needed. The Spanish governmentwould help. It would provide soldiers and a little money. Italso provided a few supplies that the neophytes could notmake themselves.

Spanish officials thought the neophytes could run themission by themselves in ten years. The Catholic Churchwould continue to hold services in the mission churches. Butthe priests would turn the land over to the neophytes. Theneophytes would farm the land. They would pay taxes toSpain. Then the missionaries would go off to start newmissions. The priests believed they were teaching NativeAmericans a better way to live. They did not think that thenative people had a right to live the way they wanted.

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17

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58

LAYOUTSLAYOUTS

These diagrams of the Los Angeles area missions show what the missions look likein modern times. Modern-day missions may not look exactly like the original mis-sions Spanish priests founded. But by studying them, we can get a sense of howneophytes and missionaries lived.

San GabrielArcángel: Mission SanGabriel has withstood strongearthquakes sinceits founding in1771. During itspeak years, themission produceditems to sell.

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59

SanBuenaventura: The site for SanBuenaventura, asouthern missionset up in 1782, waschosen because itwas close to coastalChumash villages.

San FernandoRey de España: Established in1797, SanFernando Rey deEspaña had facilities forovernight guestsand was a favoritestopping place forweary travelers.

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60

TIMELINETIMELINE

1769 Father Junípero Serra blesses the site of the first Californiamission, San Diego de Alcalá.

1771 Father Serra founds Mission San Gabriel Arcángel.

1782 Mission San Buenaventura is established.

1784 Father Serra dies. Father Fermín Francisco de Lasuén takesover as father-president of the mission system.

1797 Father Lasuén establishes four new missions.

1810 New Spain goes to war with Spain.

1821 New Spain wins its independence and becomes theRepublic of Mexico.

1830s The Mexican government secularizes the missions.

1846 The United States declares war on Mexico.

1848 Mexico loses the war. The United States takes control ofCalifornia.

1850 California becomes the thirty-first state.

1860s The U.S. government returns the missions to the CatholicChurch. Mission buildings are falling apart.

1890s Missions restoration begins. It continues to present times.

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61

GLOSSARYGLOSSARY

adobe: bricks made by mixing clay soilwith sand, water, and straw

aqueduct: a system of ditches or pipesthat carry water

Baja California (lower California): astrip of land off the northwestern coast ofMexico that lies between the PacificCoast and the Gulf of California

borders: an invisible line that dividesone country or region from another

Californios: a settler from Spain or NewSpain who made a home in California

convento: a building where priests andother religious people live and work

missionaries: teachers sent out byreligious groups to spread their religionto others

missions: centers where religious

teachers work to spread their beliefs toother people

neophytes: Native Americans who havejoined the Roman Catholic faith andcommunity

New Spain: modern-day Mexico

presidios: Spanish forts for housingsoldiers

pueblos: towns

quadrangle: an area or patio surroundedby buildings on four sides

reservations: areas of land the U.S.government set aside for use by NativeAmericans

restore: to bring something back to itsoriginal appearance

secularization: to transfer from religiousto nonreligious and state control

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62

PRONUNCIATIONGUIDE*

PRONUNCIATIONGUIDE*

Chumash CHOO-mash

El Camino Reál el kah-MEE-no ray-AHL

Lasuén, Fermín Francisco de lah-soo-AYN, fair-MEEN frahn-SEES-kokh day

San Buenaventura SAHN BWAY-nah-ven-too-rah

San Fernando Rey de España SAHN fair-NAHN-doh RAY day es-PAH-nyah

San Gabriel Arcángel SAHN gah-bree-EHL ar-KAHN-hel

Señán, José say-NYAN, hoh-SAY

Serra, Junípero SHE-rrah, hoo-NEE-pay-roh

Tongva TAHNG-vah

Zalvidea, José María sahl-vee-DAY-ah, hoh-SAY mah-REE-ah

* Local pronunciations may differ.

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63

TO LEARN MORETO LEARN MORE

Behrens, June. Central CoastMissions in California. Minneapolis:Lerner Publications Company, 2008.Learn all about the missions ofCalifornia’s central coast.

Mission San Buenaventurahttp://www.athanasius.com/camission/ventura.htmThis web page provides photos of SanBuenaventura as well as a brief history.

Mission San Fernando Rey de Españahttp://www.athanasius.com/camission/fernando.htmView photos of the mission and read abrief history.

Mission San Gabriel Arcángelhttp://www.athanasius.com/camission/gabriel.htmView photos of the mission and read abrief history.

Mission San Gabriel Arcángelhttp://www.eusd4kids.org/mission_trail/SGabrielArcangel/SGabrielArcangel.htmlThis website, created by a fourth-gradeclass, offers a virtual field trip.

Nelson, Libby. California MissionProjects and Layouts. Minneapolis:Lerner Publications Company, 2008.This book provides guides for buildingmission models. It also offers layouts ofCalifornia’s twenty-one missions.

Sonneborn, Liz. The Chumash.Minneapolis: Lerner PublicationsCompany, 2007. This book introducesthe Chumash in California.

Tongva Indian Memorial and Exhibithttp://www.Imu.edu/Page5460.aspxThis website gives a brief history of theTongva along with a timeline.

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64

INDEXINDEX

adobe, 24, 30, 46, 56Alta California, 14–17, 20,

22, 28, 29, 41, 46, 47aqueduct, 31–32, 33

Baja California, 14, 41

Cabrillo, Juan Rodríguez,14–15

Californios, 42, 44, 45, 48Cambón, Pedro Benito, 20,

30, 31Catholic Church, 5, 17, 23,

41, 42, 46, 49Chumash, 9–12, 15, 29, 30,

45, 49convento, 38, 56

diseases, 22, 28, 44, 49

earthquake, 28, 33, 39, 52,56

El Camino Reál (the RoyalRoad), 6, 38

gold, 46, 47

Landmarks Club, 51, 56Los Angeles, 6, 9, 10, 20,

28, 37, 44, 56

Mexico, 6, 14, 41, 47

neophytes, 6, 17, 24, 26, 27,28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34,36–38, 39, 41, 42, 43, 44,45

New Spain, 14, 31, 41

Pico, Pío, 46presidios, 5, 15, 19pueblos, 6, 28, 44

quadrangles, 24, 30

reservations, 48

San Buenaventura, 6, 7,29–34, 35, 45, 46, 53, 54,55

San Diego, 5, 8, 16, 19, 29,57

San Diego de Alcalá, 16, 57

San Fernando Rey deEspaña, 6, 7, 35-39, 46,47, 50, 55, 56

San Gabriel Arcángel, 6, 7,18, 20–22, 24, 27–28, 30,35, 36, 40, 44–45, 46, 49,52

secularization, 42, 44Señán, José, 33, 34Serra, Junípero, 5, 16, 19,

21, 29–30, 35, 57Spain, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17, 41Spaniards, 5–6, 15, 19–21,

27, 51, 57

tallow, 26, 39temescal, 12tomols, 15Tongva, 9–12, 20–21, 36,

49

United States, the, 6, 46, 47,49

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Go back in time to learn about the Spanish mis-sions that shaped California’s history. Each book inthis series examines the missions in a particularregion of California. You’ll learn about the NativeAmericans living in each area before missionariesarrived, how the missions were founded, and whatlife was like at the missions. This series alsoincludes California Missions Projects and Layouts,which gives directions forcreating mission models.Get ready for ExploringCalifornia Missions!

Explore all the California Missions:

❖

California Missions Projects and Layouts

Central Coast Missions in California

Inland Valleys Missions in California

Los Angeles Area Missions

Monterey Bay Area Missions

San Francisco Bay Area Missions

Southern Coast Missions in California