Going on a First Grader's Mission in Santa Barbara, California
Admittedly, going to the Old Mission Santa Barbara feels a bit like going on a first grader’s field trip, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Santa Barbara, after all, was heavily influenced by the Spanish, and nowhere is that more apparent than at the Old Mission. Established in 1786, the mission continues today, more than 200 years later, as a church for Franciscan friars. A solemn and thoughtful tour through the grounds will take you through a peaceful garden, a humbling church, and a fascinating cemetery. There’s nothing elementary here.
Befitting a queen, this California mission is bedecked with the fragrant and frilly petticoat of a lavish rose garden; it's obviously not the main focus for the mission visitors, but it adds flounce! We wandered through the blooms before ducking into the crowded mission museum. From the dusty Hot Cocoa roses to the sparkling Midas Touch, the rose gardeners take care to balance height and fullness of the bushes and blossoms for a floral delight.
More than two centuries ago, missionaries and visionaries from Spain crossed thousands of miles of dangerous, unknown waters to reach a new world they’d seen only in their dreams: California. After months of tedious travel and painstaking work, Santa Barbara Mission was founded in 1786. The 10th of 21 California missions formed by Spanish Franciscan priests to convert the local Chumash Indians to Catholicism, “The Queen of the Missions” is a solitary, beautiful intersection of cultures separated for generations by time and space. Walk through the old garden that leads to the resting place of natives and travelers, pray in the towering church and learn about life in a marvelous era of exploration, faith and daring.
Admittedly, going to the Old Mission Santa Barbara feels a bit like going on a first grader’s field trip, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Santa Barbara, after all, was heavily influenced by the Spanish, and nowhere is that more apparent than at the Old Mission. Established in 1786, the mission continues today, more than 200 years later, as a church for Franciscan friars. A solemn and thoughtful tour through the grounds will take you through a peaceful garden, a humbling church, and a fascinating cemetery. There’s nothing elementary here.
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