Adventure 49/101, Mission 15 - Mission La Purisima

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 101 - 15 : Mission La Purisima Conception, 11th mission

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  August 17, 2012

Location: Lompoc

Description:

Mission La Purisima Conception is the last mission which we went to on our trip to San Diego. Being close to Mission Santa Ines was helpful. Also the mission is now a State Park. Consequently there is a very nice visitor's center, with a pretty good display for all stages of the area—from Native Americans to the CCC. The CCC had taken on the task of reconstructing the mission After it disintegrated. The job which they did made this the most complete mission reconstruction in the state of California.

So this all allowed us to spend an enjoyable and long time at this mission. First we spent 45 minutes in the museum, to get a better understanding of the area and the people. Then Thing One and Thing Two went on a hike—you can see our hikes on the blog (Hikes 55, 56, 57, and 58). This complimented the information in visitor center—the El Camino Real, the water system and the tanning vats all added to our understanding of mission life. Then we went to the actual mission area, which is a couple hundred yards from the visitor center. This was a day which the Mountain Man days (August 17 and 18). This is where volunteers come in an re-enact what life would be like. We were particularly fascinated by the person starting a fire with a bowstring, straw and wood. But we also talked with a man and his daughter-he played one of the Spanish guardsman. He talked about how the single men lived communally while the married ones had there own rooms. After three plus hours, we needed to leave after spending an enjoyable time.

From Wikipedia site:
The mission is part of the larger La Purísima Mission State Historic Park, part of the California State Parks system, and along with Mission San Francisco de Solano is one of only two of the Spanish missions in California that is no longer under the control of the Catholic Church. It is currently the only example in California of a complete Spanish Catholic mission complex.

The Viceroyalty of New Spain made an exception to the rule that no California mission was to be established within seven miles of any pueblo in Las Californias, as Lompoc was so small.

After Mexico won the Mexican War of Independence in 1823, Spanish funding ceased to the Santa Barbara Presidio. Many soldiers at the mission who were no longer being paid by the new Mexican government took out their frustrations on the local Chumash Indians. After a soldier apparently beat an Indian at nearby Mission Santa Inés, the Chumash Revolt of 1824 occurred at that mission. It spread to La Purisima Mission, where the Chumash people took over the mission for one month until more soldiers arrived from Monterey Presidio. Eventually, the Chumash lost their hold on the mission with many leaving the mission soon thereafter. However, many of the Indians who had sought refuge in the neighboring mountains during the revolt returned to the mission.

In the 20th century, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) pledged to restore the mission if enough land could be provided to convert it into a historic landmark. The Catholic Church and the Union Oil Company donated sufficient land for the CCC to proceed with the restoration. The nine buildings as well as many small structures and the original water system were fully restored with the mission's dedication occurring on December 7, 1941, the same day the United States entered World War II.

The mission is reportedly haunted by the Indians and Spaniards who died there and has recently been featured on the paranormal reality TV shows Ghost Adventures, The Othersiders and The Missions of California

From California Missions Resource Center site:
Mission Church: The mission church, which has a simple exterior, has been handsomely restored. Located as it is in an state historic park, it is not an active church.
Significant Event(s): In 1824 a revolt of the neophytes that began in Santa Ines spread to La Purisima. The rebels captured the mission and held it for about a month. In the battle sixteen Indians and one soldier died. Seven Indians were condemned to death.

From California State Parks site:

Founded in 1787 by Father Lasuen the mission is located 50 miles west of Santa Barbara. Considered to be the best example of mission architecture, it has 37 rooms that have been completely restored and furnished. Volunteers perform living history demonstrations of mission life such as candle making and weaving. In the garden area, water flows through a series of pools and a fountain before passing through the lavandareas where the mission women washed clothes. Plants were brought from the 20 other mission gardens to form one of the finest collections of early California flora in existence. Horses, cattle, burros and the four-horned Churro sheep graze in the quiet pastures.
2295 Purisima Rd., Lompoc, 93436, (805) 733-3713