Mission San Juanita Murray

Mission San Juanita Murray

By Melvin B. Melvin

April 14, 2016

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Table of Contents Introduction…………………………….2

Mission History…….………………..…..3

Mission Life……….……………………...6

Conclusion…………..……………...….…8

Pictures……………..…………………..9

Bibliography………………..…………….11

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Introduction

Mission San Juanita Murray, also known as “The Teacher’s Mission”,

is the twenty-second mission built in California. This mission is located

thirty miles southwest of Fresno, California, near the Kings River. Mission

San Juanita Murray has suffered through earthquakes, fires, and drought,

but it still exists today as a working church in the Central Valley.

Garden Area of San Juanita Murray

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Mission History

The mission of San Juanita Murray was founded by Father Junipero

Serra on February 12, 1780. It is located thirty miles southwest of Fresno,

California, near the Kings River in Reedley, California. The padres who

worked at the mission after it was founded were Father Francisco de

Escuela and Padre Vincinte le Pencil. In order to build the mission, the

padres used the local Miwok and Yokut Indian tribes as laborers. These

tribes had villages near the mission, and they soon became the focus of the

padres as they attempted to teach them the Spanish ways of life.

California Indian tribe before the Mission system

The design of this mission was similar to other missions in the

California Mission System. There were quarters for the soldiers and the

padres, as well as workshops for the mission workers. There was a

tannery, a kiln area for making pottery, and a cemetery. The mission also

had a main chapel where the padres taught their religious ways to the local

tribes. One unique feature of Mission San Juanita Murray was the fountain,

which is still located in the garden area today. The fountain was hand

carved out of local stone, and it had religious symbols and other carvings

all around it which were plated in gold. The mission also had its own

brand, which was an “M” with a curved tail off of the left side of the letter.

This represented “JM”, or “Juanita Murray”.

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Mission Fountain

Mission San Juanita Murray was unique because of its location in the

Central Valley. Many of the missions were located near the coast, but this

mission was located more inland along the shores of the Kings River. This

allowed for trade with tribes further inland, but also allowed the padres to

spread their religious beliefs. The landscape around the mission included

the mission gardens and the fountain, as well as vegetable gardens and

orchards for oranges, peaches, lemons, and apples. There were also

foothills nearby where the Yokuts and Miwoks hunted, and the river a mile

away where fresh water and fish could be brought into the mission.

Mission San Juanita Murray started out as a peaceful mission in the

Central Valley where the padres and local tribes worked side-by-side.

Unfortunately, the peace and quiet of the location did not last long. In

1790, a terrible fire destroyed half of the mission chapel and the padres’

quarters. Although these were rebuilt quickly, in 1812, an earthquake

again destroyed the chapel, as well as the walls surrounding the workshops

and soldiers’ quarters. In 1820, a drought hit the valley, causing much of

the gardens and orchards to die. This led many of the tribes and mission

workers to move away from the mission in an attempt to find food. In 1834,

when secularization occurred, the mission was sold to a family of settlers,

who allowed the church to remain but closed down the rest of the mission

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and sent the workers away. It remained a local church until restoration

began in 1980 to transform it back into a historical landmark.

Mission San Juanita Murray before restoration

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Mission Life

When Mission San Juanita Murray was founded, many people lived

at or around the mission. The padres, soldiers, and Spanish mission

workers all lived inside the mission, while the Yokut and Miwok Indian

tribes lived in villages surrounding the mission. The mission grew or raised

much of its food to support the people living there. There were gardens

where vegetables and berries were grown, and orchards containing

oranges, lemons, peaches, and apples. Cattle and sheep were raised in

nearby fields, and the tribes hunted for wildlife in the nearby foothills. The

nearby Kings River provided fish and abundant water to support the needs

of the mission. The padres taught the Yokut and Miwok to plant and grow

crops, and to raise and brand cattle. They also instructed them on how to

make pottery using the kiln, cutting and building with stone, and iron

working.

The mission kiln

Education at the mission primarily consisted of teaching the local

tribes the Spanish ways of life. They were taught Spanish religious beliefs,

how to speak and read in Spanish, and how to behave as Spanish citizens.

This included wearing clothing that covered them, eating with utensils, and

showing respect to the padres and soldiers. They were not allowed to

practice their own cultural beliefs. A typical day at the mission began at

dawn when the mission bells rang. The Indians would come into the

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mission and pray in the chapel. They would eat a meal, and then the

adults would go out to work the fields, herd the animals, cook the meals, or

create items required for trade or use at the mission. The children would

spend the morning with the padres learning the Spanish ways of life. At

noon, the bells would again ring, and everyone would come together for a

meal. This was followed by more prayer and an afternoon of work for

adults and school for the children. At the end of the day, the bells would

ring, signaling the end of the work day. A meal would follow, along with

prayer, and the village members were expected to return to their villages

for the evening. Each day at the mission was the same, except for on

Sundays, when the entire day was reserved for prayer and rest.

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Conclusion

Mission San Juanita Murray, the “Teacher’s Mission”, was the twenty-

second mission founded by Father Junipero Serra. Since its creation in

1780, it has survived fire, drought, earthquake, and secularization.

Although it was in ruins when restoration began in 1980, it is now a

historical landmark near Reedley, California. It remains an active church,

and is visited by thousands of people each year.

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Pictures

Mission corridor

Mission Chapel

Drawing of original mission

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Mission San Juanita Murray today

Mission bell tower

Mission garden

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Bibliography

Amy, Margaret. Mission San Juanita Murray. New York: The Rosen

Publishing Group, 2000.

California Missions Fact Cards: Set 2. Milpitas, Calif.: Toucan Valley

Publications, 2000.

Cover Mission Picture:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mission_San_Miguel,_California_-_bells.jpg

Introduction Picture:

https://pixabay.com/en/california-mission-852473/

Mission History Indian Picture:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bierstadt_Albert_Mariposa_Indian_Encampme

nt_Yosemite_Valley_California.jpg

Fountain: http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Travel-Italy-Fountain-Italian-2072916

Mission before restoration:

http://www.calandscapephotography.com/missionsII.html

The mission kiln: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Korea-Gyeongju-

Folkcraft_Village-Kiln-01.jpg

Mission corridor: https://pixabay.com/en/california-mission-852474/

Mission chapel:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mission_Santa_Barbara_chapel_interior.jpg

Drawing of original mission:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Old_Mission_At_Santa_Barbara_-_Pg-455.jpg

Mission San Juanita Murray today:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_missions_in_California

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Mission bell tower:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mission_San_Miguel,_California_-_bells.jpg

Mission garden: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlund/5974001077