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
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