San Juan Capistrano,
Orange County's Only City With a Mission is Where History Lives
Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded by Padre Junipero
Serra on November 1, 1776. In 1915, Mary Pickford was married in the Mission
chapel.
San Juan Capistrano is an historic town located in a
coastal valley one mile from the ocean in Orange County. Halfway between
Los Angeles and San Diego, it is accessible via Interstate 5 and the San
Joaquin Tollway or by Amtrak train which stops right in the heart of the
historic district.
Listed is information on the mission, historic
buildings and things to do in San Juan Capistrano, a Southern Orange County city
just a few miles from the beautiful beaches.
Mission docents, educators and volunteers dress
in period costumes for the Return
of the Swallows Celebration.
THE MISSION: Mission San Juan Capistrano has been the
center of Orange County since its founding by Padre Junipero Serra on November 1, 1776. Today, it is one of California's most important
historical, cultural, and educational centers. Mission San Juan Capistrano
is the 7th of 21 Spanish Missions established in California by Franciscan
Padres. Open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving,
Christmas & Good Friday p.m. Ortega Highway at Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. From Interstate 5, take Ortega Highway west two blocks
to the Mission entrance. For information, call (949) 248-2040 (Hours are
subject to change, always call before going.)
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| Left: Damien Shilo, Chairman
of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation, whose
ancestors built the mission. Return of the Swallows Celebration includes
dancing, food, swallows, story telling and more.
Thousands of years before San Juan Capistrano had a mission,
protectors of the pristine Southern California coast lived with a different
premise than those that came to conquer and claim. The Acjachemen (A-hash-she-men)
Nation of native Americans lived and continue to this day, as guardians
or protectors and keepers of the land they think of as Mother Earth. Inhabiting
a region which spanned from Southern Los Angeles County through western
Riverside County and south to northern San Diego County, thousands of archaeological
sites contain the artifacts of a civilization which lost its footing when
a new wave of immigration swept California in the 1700's. Read more information about
21 California Missions.
There are many books written and many perspectives about
the relationships between native Americans and European settlers to the
region. Regardless of sentiment, it is a fact that the mission Indians
built Mission San Juan Capistrano, under the guidance of Fr. Junipero Serra.
In 225 years since the mission bells were mounted, Damien Shilo has followed
in the footsteps of his elders and worked hard to preserve a culture which
is the lifeblood for thousands of Southern California natives. Current
efforts include educational seminars and workshops, involvement at archaeological
sites and lobbying to gain acknowledgment and recognition of the Acjachemen
Nation. For more information, visit an informative web site:
juaneno.com/ or call 949-488-3484
SWALLOWS FESTIVAL: The Swallows Festival or "Fiesta de
las Golondrinas" is a two-month long celebration of the return of the swallows
on March 19 of each year. The festival begins in late February with the
"Taste of San Juan Reception". In mid-March, Swallows Week is kicked off
with the President's Ball followed by a week of events such as the Hairiest
Man Contest, Pets on Parade, Hat Contest, Hoosegow Day, pancake breakfast,
rodeo, and the annual Swallows Day Parade.
When you go:
Capistrano Seaside hotel sits overlooks on the coast on the San Juan
Cliffs. Technically not in San Juan Capistrano (which also is not a beach city),
the hotel offers beaches within reach of the mission and downtown shopping at
San Juan Capistrano. Ideally situated between the two coastal destinations, Dana
Point and San Clemente, you may want to stay in some lovely San
Clemente Hotels.
Whatever you choose, you're bound to have a fantastic vacation visiting one
of California's most interesting missions.
WALKING TOUR: Enjoy a free self-guided tour using the
City's own Walking Tour Brochure. These beautiful maps, reproduced in Sunset
Magazine, provide visitors a walking guide through San Juan Capistrano.
To obtain a Walking Tour Brochure, just visit one of the six downtown street
signs (at El Camino Real/Ortega Highway, in front of the Mission, at Camino
Capistrano and Verdugo, Camino Capistrano and Yorba, in the Depot waiting
area, or at the kiosk adjacent to the Depot, and at Acjachema and El Camino
Real).
LOS RIOS HISTORIC DISTRICT: The Los Rios District includes
31 historic structures which line both sides of Los Rios Street between
Del Obispo and Mission Streets...>
more MUSEUMS: O'Neill Museum: Located in San Juan Capistrano's
Los Rios Historic District. This rustic but genteel wooden structure was
one of the town's first homes and provides today's visitors with
a charming glimpse of life one hundred years ago. Located at 31831
Los Rios Street, call for hours and admission fees, if any. (949) 493-8444
Orange County Natural History Museum: In the Franciscan
Plaza at the corner of Verdugo and Camino Capistrano (across from the Mission
in San Juan Capistrano). An interesting array of fossil displays, preserved
specimens, and live reptiles are on view. Monthly lecture series and hands
on demonstrations available to the public. Call for hours and admission
fees, if any. (949) 487-9155.
There are several affordable in San Juan Capistrano that include chain hotels conveniently located near the mission
and I-5 Freeway.
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Dana Point > San Juan Capistrano >
San Clemente
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San Juan
Capistrano,
California
