Doheny Memorial Library, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189 Public Domain. Release under the CC BY Attribution license--http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/--Credit both “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library; From the California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California Send requests to address or e-mail given USC Libraries Special Collections specol@usc.edu
Description
Photograph of a view of the bell tower of Mission Asistencia of San Antonio at Pala at dusk (or dawn?), ca.1883. Sunlight, barely able to pierce the cloudy sky, reaches parts of the bell tower and creating an aura around the parts it touches. The outline of the multi-curved bell tower is visible. Two bells are situated in separate arched holes within the tower. The bells are held up by horizontal beams. "Mission San Antonio De Pala was founded by Father Antonio Peyri OFM on June 13th, 1816. It is the only one of the original Spanish California Missions to survive in its purpose of service to the Native American Indians. The Mission at Pala was built as an "assistencia" to the larger Mission at San Luis Ray - (west of Pala on Highway 76). After Mexico received independence from Spain in 1834, the California Missions continued to be administered by the founders, the Franciscan Friars. Because the Mission lands were among the most valuable in California, they were secularized and confiscated by the Mexican Government in 1835. Many Mexican landowners acquired the Mission lands for themselves. The Indian population refused to be exploited and the Mission 'ranchos' generally fell into decay." -- unknown author.
Type
image
Format
1 photograph : photoprint, b&w 21 x 26 cm. photographic prints photographs
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