A GIANT CROSS LbNA #76216 (ARCHIVED)
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Add Location| Owner: | Hello From Bakersfield  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jul 31, 2022 |
| Location: | San Miguel Mission |
| City: | San Miguel |
| County: | San Luis Obispo |
| State: | California |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | Not yet found! |
|---|---|
| Last found: | N/A |
| Status: | m |
| Last edited: | Aug 2, 2022 |
There are many interesting stories from throughout the San Miguel Mission’s long history.
It was founded in 1797.
One of these stories involves one of the padres stationed here at the time of it being founded.
An excerpt from, “The Lands of San Miguel,” by Wallace V. Ohles:
“Padre de la Concepcion Horra…became a problem almost from the very beginning. President of the missions, Padre Fermin Francisco de Lasuen, assigned Padre Horra to work with the experienced missionary, Padre Buenaventura Sitjar, for the founding of Mission San Miguel. Less than a month after the July 25, 1797 founding, Padre Horra began showing signs of insanity. The soldiers of the guard, and the Indians, were horrified and frightened, because the padre shouted and acted like a madman. The padre had fancied himself a great ruler; he compelled the Indians to discharge their arrows, and the soldiers to fire rounds of cartridges. It is said that Padre Horra wanted to kill ants which bothered him.
Father Sitjar conferred with Father Lasuen, and the President sent Jose de Miguel to the mission; he was to attempt, by gently means, to persuade Padre Horra to accompany him to Monterey. Two surgeons at Monterey examined Horra and declared him insane; the governor made it official, and Horra was returned to Mexico. From there, Padre Horra was returned to Spain on July 8, 1804.”
The mission continued to build after Padre Horra left and grew their own food, wool, candles and leather. They had livestock consisting of both cattle and sheep.
The average head of livestock was about 22,000 between 1811 and 1824. In the peak year of 1821, the mission had over 24,000 animals including 9,000 cattle and 13,500 sheep.
The original brand of the cattle at San Miguel Mission appears like a “3.” If you’d like to see brands used in California, there is a free brand book application on the phone called CA brand book and is also available at the site https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Livestock_ID/Brand_Book.html
To find this letterbox, head to the San Miguel mission and you are going to drive behind the mission.
If you are heading north on Hwy 101 and take the Mission street exit, you will then make an immediate turn NORTH onto SLO Monterey St., passing the mission bell tower on your right. As you head down this street, you will pull over off the street behind the mission.
It is recommended that you continue north on SLO Monterey St. until you just before you reach the only power poles on the street. You will park just before these behind the mission by a sign that says “DRY STANDPIPE #2.” Now walk and follow the drive way directly across the street from the sign. Walk along this driveway west through the parking lot towards the freeway until you see a memorial cross and head towards this. Take a break and sit on the bench facing north and view the Byzantine-like art on the cross. Sitting on the bench and looking northwest, cast your gaze on the lone oak across the field behind the building in front of you. You will walk towards this oak tree behind the Mission San Miguel Parish Hall with the freeway on your left side. In front of you is the Dollar General store as you walk through the field towards the oak tree. Get to the base of the oak tree. Look for a concrete slab at the base. Pull the concrete slab back and you will find the letter box under the concrete and under a slight amount of bark and grass. This tree is over a hundred years old and may have even been a seedling when the mission was first founded. Perhaps it was even spared during Padre Horra's attempt to rule over the ants. Please use care when reburying.
Hike length: 0.5 miles
It was founded in 1797.
One of these stories involves one of the padres stationed here at the time of it being founded.
An excerpt from, “The Lands of San Miguel,” by Wallace V. Ohles:
“Padre de la Concepcion Horra…became a problem almost from the very beginning. President of the missions, Padre Fermin Francisco de Lasuen, assigned Padre Horra to work with the experienced missionary, Padre Buenaventura Sitjar, for the founding of Mission San Miguel. Less than a month after the July 25, 1797 founding, Padre Horra began showing signs of insanity. The soldiers of the guard, and the Indians, were horrified and frightened, because the padre shouted and acted like a madman. The padre had fancied himself a great ruler; he compelled the Indians to discharge their arrows, and the soldiers to fire rounds of cartridges. It is said that Padre Horra wanted to kill ants which bothered him.
Father Sitjar conferred with Father Lasuen, and the President sent Jose de Miguel to the mission; he was to attempt, by gently means, to persuade Padre Horra to accompany him to Monterey. Two surgeons at Monterey examined Horra and declared him insane; the governor made it official, and Horra was returned to Mexico. From there, Padre Horra was returned to Spain on July 8, 1804.”
The mission continued to build after Padre Horra left and grew their own food, wool, candles and leather. They had livestock consisting of both cattle and sheep.
The average head of livestock was about 22,000 between 1811 and 1824. In the peak year of 1821, the mission had over 24,000 animals including 9,000 cattle and 13,500 sheep.
The original brand of the cattle at San Miguel Mission appears like a “3.” If you’d like to see brands used in California, there is a free brand book application on the phone called CA brand book and is also available at the site https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Livestock_ID/Brand_Book.html
To find this letterbox, head to the San Miguel mission and you are going to drive behind the mission.
If you are heading north on Hwy 101 and take the Mission street exit, you will then make an immediate turn NORTH onto SLO Monterey St., passing the mission bell tower on your right. As you head down this street, you will pull over off the street behind the mission.
It is recommended that you continue north on SLO Monterey St. until you just before you reach the only power poles on the street. You will park just before these behind the mission by a sign that says “DRY STANDPIPE #2.” Now walk and follow the drive way directly across the street from the sign. Walk along this driveway west through the parking lot towards the freeway until you see a memorial cross and head towards this. Take a break and sit on the bench facing north and view the Byzantine-like art on the cross. Sitting on the bench and looking northwest, cast your gaze on the lone oak across the field behind the building in front of you. You will walk towards this oak tree behind the Mission San Miguel Parish Hall with the freeway on your left side. In front of you is the Dollar General store as you walk through the field towards the oak tree. Get to the base of the oak tree. Look for a concrete slab at the base. Pull the concrete slab back and you will find the letter box under the concrete and under a slight amount of bark and grass. This tree is over a hundred years old and may have even been a seedling when the mission was first founded. Perhaps it was even spared during Padre Horra's attempt to rule over the ants. Please use care when reburying.
Hike length: 0.5 miles