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There is much to do in and around San
Juan Capistrano. Take a trip back in time with a walk through Mission
San Juan Capistrano. Try out the self-guided walking tour of San Juan's
historic down town and Los
Rios Historic District. Shop and dine in the many unique shops and
restaurants throughout the area. Or enjoy the Pacific Ocean with a visit
to the Dana Point
Harbor, San Clemente
Pier, or one of the beautiful beaches that line south Orange County. The
climate, history, attractions, and amenities of the area will truly allow
you to go back in time.
The City of San Juan Capistrano is a unique community grounded in a history of native American culture, the Mission established by Franciscan missionaries in 1776, and an agrarian past. Officially incorporated as a city in 1961, San Juan Capistrano recently celebrated 40 years of cityhood. A council-manager form of government, with five elected council members elected citywide, direct the city operations and municipal services. The tiny town of San Juan Capistrano is nestled
between the Santa Ana Mountains and Point Dana on the Pacific coast. The town's
focal point is the charming Mission San Juan Capistrano, founded by Franciscan
Friar Junipero Serra in 1776. Every March 18 and 19th, the Return of the
Swallows Celebration marks the swallows' return to this "Jewel of the Missions,"
with its beautiful walled garden and fountain, sculptures, paintings and ornate
altar. The mission includes the ruins of the Great Stone Church, destroyed by
earthquake in 1812, and Padre Serra's Chapel, believed to be the state's oldest
standing church building.
In the rest of the town, you'll find several historic adobe homes and the 1895 station of the Santa Fe Railroad which is now a restaurant and Amtrak stop.
The City has grown from a small community of approximately 10,000 persons in 1974 to a developed city of 36,078 in 2005, with a variety of land uses providing open space, recreation, housing, jobs, shopping and services. The City prides itself on effectively maintaining its open space character by acquiring land to preserve its defining ridgelines, hillsides, and trails. Nearly 40% of the City is in open space and park land. Only about 10% of land suitable for development still remains vacant. MISSION SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO The "Jewel of the Missions" has been the center of Orange County since its founding by Padre Junipero Serra on November 1, 1776. The Mission's namesake was Giovanni de Capestrano, who was born in 1386. He was a respected warrior and missionary, who died October 23, 1456. He was canonized in 1690, and was a favorite of Father Junipero Serra. Serra, in 1776, gained permission to name one of the missions after Capestrano. Today it is one of California's most important historical, cultural, and educational centers. The Mission is the seventh of 21 Spanish Missions established in California by Franciscan Padres. Spain controlled California until 1821, when Mexico won its independence. In 1845, the Mission was sold for $710 to Don Juan Forster. His family lived at the Mission for 20 years. In 1865, Abraham Lincoln returned the Mission to the Catholic Church. In 1915, Mary Pickford was married in the Mission chapel. Areas of interest within the Mission walls include early adobe barracks, Friars' quarters, olive millstone, cemetery, aqueduct system, the beautiful gardens, and the original Stone Church. The Church was completed in 1797 and partially destroyed by earthquake in 1806. The Mission has embarked on a $20-million preservation campaign to protect the historical landmark. Temporary shoring and bracing of the stone church and stabilization of the Mission's adobe buildings have been completed. Mission San Juan Capistrano is a non-profit historic site supported solely by tourism and gifts. Those interested in assisting in the preservation of this timeless monument to Native American, Spanish, Mexican and American cultures can make their tax deductible donations payable to the Mission Preservation Fund, P.O. Box 697, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693. The Mission is located on Ortega Highway west of Interstate 5 and is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas & Good Friday p.m.) The Mission grounds are available for private functions and corporate events. Guided tours of the Mission can also be arranged. For information, call (949) 234-1300. DOWNTOWN WALKING TOUR California's Essential Village Community: Nowhere in the state of California is the history of western small towns so fully revealed as in the few square blocks of San Juan Capistrano's village core. These streets bear witness to events, people, and the evolution of both a town and a state. The majority of properties and sites identified on this map and listed below are included on the city's Inventory of Historic and Cultural Resources. They have been given special recognition for their historic and/or architectural significance to the community of San Juan Capistrano, and in many cases have been recognized on a state and national level as well. As you walk our historic streets, we hope you will absorb a sense of both permanence and change as you experience the sites and buildings that make San Juan Capistrano unique. The map you see is taken from the City's "Walking Tour Guide to Historic San Juan Capistrano", which is available at City Hall, in map dispensers mounted on downtown directional signs, or by calling the City at 949-493-1171. The brochure gives a full description of each of the sites and buildings numbered on the map. HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY San Juan Capistrano is unique in Orange County and a rarity in California, a community whose foundation was laid by the earliest people to inhabit the land, and a community still evolving after more than 220 years. California history, and therefore San Juan Capistrano history, is often divided into five major eras: Prehistory (Before 1776)
Spanish missionaries divided Orange County Indians into two groups based on their proximity to area missions, Juanenos (originally Acagchemem) and Gabrielinos. It is thought there were in reality many small tribes, all belonging to the Shoshone family, sharing common linguistic roots. Abundant evidence of prehistoric Indian life has been found within San Juan Capistrano and several local families trace their lineage to the Juaneno band. Spanish Era (1776-1820)
The success of the San Juan Mission is revealed in records of 1796 that count nearly one thousand Indian neophytes living in or near the Mission compound and working the various farming, herding, candle and soap making, iron smelting, and weaving and tanning operations. Also, 1,649 baptisms were recorded that year. An increasing population led to the building of numerous adobe homes for the native and intermarried families with ties to the Mission (some Spanish soldiers assigned to the Mission married native women). In 1807, 34 adobes were built or remodeled. Records from 1811 reveal a prosperous year, with the Mission producing many tons of wheat, barley, corn and beans, and thousands of head of cattle, sheep and horses. Mexican/Rancho Era (1821-1847)
The Secularization Act began an immediate decline of the Mission in San Juan Capistrano and an overall decline in the town's population. In 1841 the Mexican government declared San Juan to be a pueblo (town), instead of a religious parish. In 1845 the Mission itself was sold to John Forster, an Englishman who had married the governor's sister and who eventually would own nearly 250,000 acres across three counties. Statehood (1850-1900)
San Juan's location on the road to newly discovered gold fields in northern California led to rapid growth with homes, stores and a hotel being built. A number of board and batten homes were built next to Mission era adobes in the Los Rios area. Part of the Miguel Yorba adobe on Camino Capistrano became an overnight stage stop. Cattle raised on nearby ranchos were driven north and sold at great profit to feed prospectors. Drought, smallpox and a state property tax led to the decline of the ranchos and began the sale of land to settlers interested in farming. The Homestead Act and inviting travel guides caused an increase in the number of easterners interested in pursuing the California dream. By the 1880's barley, walnuts and oranges had been planted within the town limits. The California Central Railroad came to San Juan in 1887 bringing access to markets and creating a land boom. Twentieth Century (1901 - Present)
During this early period, the Mission languished. Despite an early stabilization effort by the Landmark Club, it wasn't until 1910 when Father John O'Sullivan came to town, that the Mission was restored to a semblance of its earlier self. San Juan then became a destination for those interested in a glimpse of early California life and visitors included Hollywood stars and tourists from around the world. In 1939 a live NBC radio broadcast spread the fame and legend of the swallows' return to a nationwide audience. Intense development pressures in the early 1970's caused the citizens to create a new General Plan which preserved historic resources and open space, limited development density, and provided for ridgeline preservation. These measures,adopted in 1974, have proved to be years ahead of many California communities, and have helped assure the perpetuation of San Juan Capistrano's unique heritage. Links to other Globally Locally Community Guides
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