Misión la Purísima Concepción de María Santísima (Mission of the Immaculate Conception of Most Holy Mary) was founded by Father Presidente Fermin de Lasuén on December 8, 1787. It was the 11th of 21 Franciscan Missions established in Alta California.
A major earthquake on December 21, 1812, destroyed many of the mission buildings. Father Mariano Payeras received permission to relocate the mission community four miles to the northeast in La Cañada de los Berros, next to El Camino Real. La Purísima Mission was officially established in its new location on April 23, 1813. Materials salvaged from the buildings destroyed by the earthquake were used to construct the new buildings, which were completed within ten years.
That mission was eventually abandoned and allowed to go to ruin. A fire took off the roof, and the occasional rain "melted" the original adobe construction. In the 1930s the
CCC reconstonstructed the buildings using largely original techniques (there is concrete and rebar in the foundation).
Unlike the
swallows at
San Juan Capistrano, the swallows at Purisima are not considered miraculous.
One of two sanctuaries on site. This is the only mission laid out long ways; apparently many people were trapped and killed in the quadrangle of the original mission when the walls collapsed in 1812.
A sunny, but breezy day.
A reconstruction of the old ovens.
A burro powered olive press. There are many olive trees in the mission groves.
The missions were supposed to be self sufficient, and also had their own cloth making equipment.
A reconstruction of the Chumash Indian huts. The Chumash were "civilized", and all but eliminated by the Spanish.
A new skipper (for me) in the mission garden. I'm not sure, but the
Western Branded Skipper is the closest fit to the
skippers supposed to be in Santa Barbara County. I'll send the picture to BOMA for an expert opinion.
A cow that looks a lot like a Texas Longhorn on the mission stockyard. They also has horses, and sheep.
Lunch in Lompoc. The Budget Cafe lived up to it's advertising.
A fortuitous navigation failure (thanks, Corwin) sent us off to the coast to Ocean Beach Park, sited at the estuary of the dry Santa Ynez River. Not exactly the Chesapeake Bay, but still pretty.
A wide variety of waterfowl were there, including various sand pipers, egrets, and this little guy, who may be a juvenile
American Coot.
The estuary is totally closed to the ocean now, as any river flow is insufficient to break through the dunes at the the mouth, making it more of a lagoon than an estuary at present.
That mission was eventually abandoned and allowed to go to ruin. A fire took off the roof, and the occasional rain "melted" the original adobe construction. In the 1930s the CCC reconstonstructed the buildings using largely original techniques (there is concrete and rebar in the foundation).
A reconstruction of the old ovens.
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