San Juan Bautista

Book excerpt: Hidden among the rolling hills and picturesque valleys of Californias coastal mountain range is the quiet mission town of San Juan Bautista. Forged by the San Andreas Fault, the same stunning environment that attracted Spanish missionaries to establish Mission San Juan Bautista in 1797 would invite multitudes of visitors and settlers during the first years of Californias statehood. Bypassed by the railroad in the 1870s, the town saw its population dwindle and seemed likely to fade unnoticed into history. In the 1930s, the structures around the ancient mission plaza narrowly avoided decay and demolition. The community, with the plaza at its heart, embarked upon a slow but steady restoration and revival of its former splendor. Today both mission and town thrive as important cultural and spiritual centers.