Any trip to Europe or other places around the world will probably involve extensive sightseeing of historical landmarks. Even going to a new area of the United States encourages one to visit the historic destinations. We often forget how much historic culture is right in our backyard, or at least in our town or nearby region. Basically, every city and town in the United States of America has a Historic Society, which is the gateway to discovering the culture, architecture, and significance of your area’s past.
California has a wealth of fascinating historical landmarks, but locals and visitors alike tend to overlook them in favor of the state’s touristy destinations. It can be far more rewarding to skip Disneyland and SeaWorld and instead visit sites with real, meaningful history and culture. These options are not only more educational but more economical, since admission is always reasonable and often free.
Last August, my family moved to Fallbrook, which is as far north in San Diego County as you can go on the I-15 before entering Riverside County. Since then, I’ve enjoyed learning about the fascinating history this area has to offer, which I’ve only begun to explore. For instance, the Mission San Luis Rey, one of the 21 original Spanish missions along the California coast, is only 11 miles from my house, in Oceanside.
About the Mission
The Mission San Luis Rey de Francia is called the King of the Missions, and it is the largest of the missions. It was founded by Fr. Fermin Lasuén on June 13, 1798. The 18th mission to be founded in Alta (Spanish for “High”) California, it was named after King Louis IX, a 13th-century French king who was canonized for his compassion and charity for the poor. It’s gone through a very complex journey since then, eventually becoming a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1970. Today, it is still a functioning Catholic church, as well as a museum.Admission to the museum costs $8 for adults. The former living quarters for the mission’s Franciscan friars now house exhibits about its history. Walking through the twelve Period Rooms, visitors taking the self-guided tour will see historic artifacts, replicas, and descriptive placards. An audio tour describes the significance of the different room’s contents for the mission’s progression, but signs throughout the museum provide the same fascinating facts. On the tour, you’ll learn about the lifestyle of the local Luiseño Indians, the Spanish arrival, and the Friars’ sleeping quarters. You’ll see examples of the industries at the mission, the kitchen, and the priests’ vestment and sacred art. You’ll find out about ranching at the mission and the end of the Spanish rule, see an important document signed by President Abraham Lincoln, and learn about the restoration period and the mission today. Finally, the Franciscan Room has information about the history of the Franciscan order and its continued involvement with the Mission San Luis Rey. You also will walk through the newly-restored Agapito Court, which contains a beautiful fountain and a fragrant blossoming citrus tree. Before going back inside to tour the rest of the Period Rooms, you can view the tranquil Sacred Garden, which visitors can’t enter because it’s the private garden of the resident friars. The tour ends with a short video presentation summarizing the mission’s history.
Even without purchasing a ticket to go through the museum, you can see most of the mission’s interesting points. Features of the mission which are open to the public for free daily are the historic church, the historic cemetery, the Madonna mortuary chapel, the museum store of mission-related souvenirs and devotional gifts, the ruins of the soldier barracks, the brick lavanderia where residents washed and bathed, the kiln where the adobe bricks were cast, the Carriage Arch from the original four-sided patio, and the oldest pepper tree in California, which was planted in 1830.
My Visit to the Mission
My visit to the mission began with the historic church, which was dark and somber compared to the sunny afternoon outside. The remarkably beautiful adobe building is decorated with sacred art and impressively realistic statues of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and many saints. I heard voices singing a Latin chant in the distance; it must have been the friars. The solemn magnificence of the church filled me with reverence, especially since I visited during Holy Week, on what Catholics call Spy Wednesday. The host of candles burning on the altar and several people praying inside the church proved how important this historic site still is as a place of worship in the local community.Exiting the church through a side door, I stepped out into the local historic cemetery. As the oldest community burial ground in North San Diego County, it houses the remains of Luiseño Indians, friars, settlers, and more recent community members. I saw many grave markers from the 19th century and a crypt containing generations of friars’ remains. The lavanderia is equally amazing, with cascading brick stairs leading to the waterways, which held small pools after the recent rains. In this wooded area, as throughout the property, wildflowers and tender grasses poked through the soft spring earth.
An Inspiring Experience
Visiting the Mission San Luis Rey was a very inspiring experience. It was amazing to see the centuries-old buildings and artifacts which marked the first European settlement in this area. However, it was equally inspiring to learn how the vision of the mission’s Franciscan founders is being continued today. The friars who live in the mission’s private quarters continue to serve the local parish of San Luis Rey through their charitable works and religious duties. These include daily mass in English and Spanish in the historic church as well as the modern Serra Center. The extensive buildings and expansive grounds of the mission complex also include a retreat center and a theological school, as well as living quarters for friars in various stages of their lives. The friars and other religious officials work alongside preservation experts to continue the archaeological discovery and restoration of this historic landmark.Visiting the beautiful Mission San Luis Rey is like watching one of the numerous old Hollywood movies which focus on Catholic characters, often clergy. A person of any faith can appreciate the devotion, faith, and fervor which those characters displayed, just like the fervent founders of this amazing landmark.
