Spring Signals the Return of the Swallows – San Juan Capistrano, California

By: Chris Millikan

Spring Signals the Return of the Swallows
San Juan Capistrano, California

Annual visits to historic Mission San Juan Capistrano offer us a good chance to experience California as it was in the beginning, before the advent of popular theme parks, bustling beach towns, glitzy hotels or frenetic highways. Like the swallows, we find it an exceptional destination to come back to each year. Recently my husband and I returned, spending another afternoon surrounded by California’s romantic past.

San Juan Capistrano, one of California’s first communities, is located mid-way between Los Angeles and San Diego. The downtown features an eclectic collection of historic buildings, funky boutiques, quaint cafes and all manner of weathered antique shops. A delightful walking tour of two dozen stops inspires the imagination to drift back to a much different time.

Several unique adobe homes are preserved on Los Rios Street, one of California’s oldest neighbourhoods. Built in 1794 for families with ties to the Mission, these small rectangular structures feature wide adobe brick walls, gable ends, few windows, as well as front and back doors. The compelling centerpiece of this historic district is, of course, Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Beyond the entrance stands a statue of Padre Junipero Serra, who founded this mission in 1776. A Franciscan, Serra worked among the Indians in Mexico until age 55, when he became leader of Spanish missionaries in California. Altogether he established nine of 21 Californian missions before his death in 1784.

As Jewel of the Missions, it flourished until 1821, producing grain, corn, beans and grapes. Thousands of horses, cattle and sheep roamed extensive mission lands. The mission prospered as an early industrial centre. You can still see the remains of the first metal furnaces, which once forged tools, hardware and equipment. Nearby, tallow ovens produced soaps, candles, grease and ointments. We could visualize hides soaking as we looked into the huge tanning reservoirs. We marveled at the size of the wine vats. Outdoor kitchens shared this site, backing onto native herb and vegetable gardens. Community and children’s gardens now take their place.

Today Mission San Juan Capistrano continues a busy and vibrant life and as a remarkable historical and cultural centre. It occupies a 10-acre site including five buildings and beautiful botanical gardens. Who can resist the prickly pear cactus in full display – or delicate purple blossoms of the spreading jacaranda trees? Brilliant red bougainvillea riot from archways along shady corridors. A row of restored flags hangs above, representing periods in California’s history.

Spain lost California following Mexican independence in 1821. At that time Mexican leaders distributed lands to political appointees, resulting in expansive ranches, as large as 250,000 acres. Granted to a rancher, this magnificent mission fell sadly into decline. Fortunately, in 1865 President Lincoln returned the mission to the church.

Off the corridor’s many rooms, formerly housing soldiers (”leather jackets”) or padres, have been converted into a series of museum rooms showcasing life both before and after Spanish arrival. Rotating exhibits depict the Rancho Era, when a few powerful men and their families owned huge ranch lands. The past lives on in these informative rooms.

The central courtyard, once hosting colourful rodeos, feasts, and festivals, still boasts an old Moorish fountain, the Fountain of the Four Evangelists. Its blooming pink and yellow water lilies shade fat Koi swimming lazy circles in the murky water.

I am always drawn to the glory of the Serra Chapel. One of the oldest structures in California, it is the only remaining mission church where the Padre actually conducted services. The resplendent 350 year-old Baroque altar is a sight to behold. Intricately carved of cherrywood sent from Barcelona, it is overlaid with brilliant gold leaf.

In contrast, simple paintings, also from Spain, depict the stations of the cross. The imposing silver processional pieces were originally brought by Father Serra from Mexico. A small side chapel is dedicated to St. Peregrine, patron saint of cancer sufferers. Candles bravely burn, signaling hope and inspiration. Every time I visit this sanctuary, an uncommon serenity surrounds me.

Remains of the Great Stone Church stand nearby. Begun in 1797, it was built over nine years but actually stood for only six years. In 1812 an earthquake struck during religious services causing the massive walls to crumble and sleek domes to cave in. Never rebuilt, we see the grandeur and can understand why these impressive remains are known as the “American Acropolis.”

Every year we observe the gradual restoration of the Great Stone Church, a preservation priority. Bells, now seen in the wall of the Sacred Garden, once hung in the church tower. The large bells date back to 1776; the small ones to 1804. Important in early mission life, bells called the community to meals, religious services, work or recreation.

Now these bells ring out at first sighting of the swallows that make the Mission so prominent. These tiny birds migrate to Argentina in October, returning to Capistrano Mission each March. Celebrations continue today, but actually began centuries ago when the padres noticed that the swallows returned around March 19^th, St. Joseph’s Day. Their arrival symbolizes the coming of spring, a time of renewal and rebirth. Greeting the returning swallows continues as the Mission’s most well known festival.

A special room now exhibits the original sheet music signed by Leon Rene and the piano he used in 1929 to compose “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano,” popularizing this historic migration. Like those famous swallows immortalized in song, we “come back to Capistrano” every year. To us, it’s more than just tiny birds. It’s those poignant encounters with early California that beckon again and again, no matter the time of year.