For more than 200 years, the Mission San Juan
Capistrano has played a crucial part in the life
of this city. Father Junipero Serra founded the
"Jewel of the Mission" in 1776, and
a town eventually grew up around the Catholic
outpost.
Built to help colonize California
for the Spanish and to ease the local Indians
into the Spanish culture, the mission today makes
the city a major tourist draw.
This is especially true during
the annual March 19th celebration, marking the
return of the swallows to their summer home. The
St. Joseph's Day celebration, once a day long
religious commemoration, has evolved into a three
week Heritage Festival sponsored by the local
Fiesta Association.
Today's San Juan Capistrano
is a mix of new residents and descendants of early
ranchers and native Americans. Small, modern business
developments are only blocks from the mission
and other historic buildings, and housing projects
spread east across the valley.
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