Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo facts for kids
Façade of capilla (chapel) at
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo. |
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 Location in Monterey Peninsula
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| Location | 3080 Rio Road, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California |
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| Coordinates | 36°32′34″N 121°55′09″W / 36.54278°N 121.91917°W |
| Name as founded | La Misión San Carlos Borromeo del Río Carmelo |
| English translation | The Mission of Saint Charles Borromeo of the Carmel River |
| Patron | Saint Charles Borromeo |
| Nickname(s) | "Father of the Alta California Missions" |
| Founding date | June 3, 1770 |
| Founding priest(s) | Father Presidente Junípero Serra |
| Founding Order | Second |
| Headquarters of the Alta California Mission System | 1771–1815; 1819–1824; 1827–1830 |
| Military district | Third |
| Native tribe(s) Spanish name(s) |
Esselen, Ohlone Costeño |
| Native place name(s) | Ekheya |
| Baptisms | 3,827 |
| Marriages | 1,032 |
| Burials | 2,837 |
| Secularized | 1834 |
| Returned to the Church | 1859 |
| Governing body | Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey |
| Current use | Parish Church/Minor Basilica |
| Official name: Carmel Mission | |
| Designated | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference no. | 66000214 |
| Designated | October 9, 1960 |
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The Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Río Carmelo, also known as the Carmel Mission, is one of the most well-preserved Spanish missions in California. It was first built in 1797. You can find it near the Carmel River in Carmel Valley, California.
This mission is a very important historical site. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. From 1771 until 1833, the Carmel Mission was the main center for all the missions in Alta California (which is now California).
Junípero Serra, a famous Spanish priest, led the mission from 1770 until he passed away in 1784. It was also the home of the second mission president, Father Fermín Lasuén. He was in charge of building nine more mission churches.
In 1833, the Mexican government took control of the mission buildings and lands. This process was called secularization. By the mid-1800s, the mission was falling apart. Luckily, the chapel roof was fixed in 1884, saving it from total ruin. In 1886, the mission was given to the Diocese of Monterey. Since then, it has been a local church within that Diocese.
Starting in 1931, a man named Harry Downie began restoring the mission. He worked on this project for 50 years! The Carmel Mission is special because it is the only Spanish mission in California that still has its original bell and bell tower.
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Mission History
The Carmel Mission was the second mission built by Franciscans in Upper California. It was first started as Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Monterey, California on June 3, 1770. Father Junípero Serra founded it near a native village called Tamo.
The mission was named after Charles Borromeo, an important church leader from Italy. It was also the place where the first Christian confirmation happened in Alta California.
Why the Mission Moved
Pedro Fages was the military governor of Alta California from 1770 to 1774. He kept his main office at the Presidio of Monterey. Father Serra and Governor Fages did not get along well. Fages treated his soldiers very strictly. Serra wanted to protect the native people living at the mission from the soldiers.
Serra also found that the land near the Carmel River was much better for farming. In May 1771, the Spanish ruler in Mexico agreed to Serra's request to move the mission.
The mission was moved to its new spot on August 1, 1771. The first church service was held on August 24. Father Serra officially moved into the new buildings on December 24.
The mission's name was made longer to Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Río Carmelo. It was close to the villages of the Rumsen Ohlone people. The original building in Monterey became the Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo.
Father Serra's Headquarters
The Carmel Mission became Father Serra's favorite mission. Because it was near Monterey, the capital of Alta California, he chose it as his main office. When he died on August 28, 1784, he was buried under the chapel floor.
After Serra's death, Father Fermín Lasuén took over. He replaced the old adobe (mud-brick) chapel with a new one made of stone. The stone came from the nearby Santa Lucia Mountains.
Native People and Mission Life
After the mission moved to Carmel Valley, the Franciscans began to baptize some native people. By the end of 1771, the mission had 15 people living there, plus 22 baptized native people.
Farming was difficult at first, and the mission needed supplies from ships for many years. To increase the number of baptisms, the missionaries tried to convert important leaders from the Esselen and Rumsen tribes.
The Esselen and Ohlone people who lived near the mission were baptized. Then, they were moved to the mission and made to work. Over time, about 900 Esselen people were baptized and brought to the missions at Carmel Valley, Soledad, and San Antonio.
Native people were taught many skills. They learned to be farmers, shepherds, cowboys, and skilled workers like blacksmiths and carpenters. However, many native people suffered from diseases, lack of food, and hard work. The population at Mission San Carlos grew to its highest in 1795, but by 1823, it had dropped significantly.
Mission Farms and Animals
At first, the mission relied on food like bear meat from Mission San Antonio de Padua and supplies from ships. By 1779, the native people at Carmel Mission were growing a lot of food. They harvested wheat, barley, beans, and corn. Four years later, they grew enough food to support 700 people. The mission also had many cattle and sheep.
The Carmel Mission continued to grow throughout the late 1700s. By 1800, farming at the mission was at its best. The mission reported having over 2,000 horses and cattle, and over 4,000 smaller animals like sheep. They harvested thousands of bushels of grain each year.
Mission Taken Over and Left Empty
The Mexican government was worried that the missions were still loyal to Spain. In August 1833, the government took control of all the missions and their valuable lands. This was called secularization.
The government said that half of the mission lands should go to the native people. However, this rarely happened. Most mission property was bought by government officials or their wealthy friends. Without the native people's labor, the priests could not keep the missions running. The mission buildings and lands were soon left empty. The native people were forced to leave the mission by the new landowners. Some tried to return to their old ways of life, while others found work on farms and ranches.
By 1850, the mission was almost completely ruined. The stone chapel was falling apart, and most of the adobe buildings were washing away. The roof of the chapel collapsed in 1852.
Restoring the Mission
When Mexico gave California to the United States after the Mexican–American War in 1848, a treaty said that land grants would be honored. The Roman Catholic Church asked for all the former mission lands back. The state agreed to return the original mission buildings, cemeteries, and gardens to the church.
When the Roman Catholic Church got full control of the buildings in 1859, the mission was in ruins. In 1884, Father Angel Casanova raised money to put a new roof on the chapel. This helped save it until the 1930s.
In 1931, Monsignor Philip Scher hired Harry Downie, a skilled cabinet maker. Downie was known for restoring old Spanish items. Scher first asked Downie to fix some statues at the Carmel Mission. But soon, Downie was put in charge of restoring the entire mission!
Two years later, the church made the mission a regular parish church. Downie lived nearby and worked almost every day for nearly 50 years to restore the mission. He carefully studied the church's original design and found old artifacts from all over California.
He first restored the priests' living areas. Then, he fixed the chapel roof in 1936. Over the next five years, he worked on the inside of the main church. In 1941, he restored the old soldiers' living area.
In 1943, he began rebuilding a building that had been a locked dormitory for girls. This building was reconstructed and became classrooms for Junipero Serra Elementary School. In 1946, the old kitchen and blacksmith shop were rebuilt. Today, it is used as a chapel.
Downie also helped restore other missions, like San Luis Obispo and San Juan Bautista. He was honored by the Pope and the King of Spain for his work.
In 1960, the mission was named a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII. In 1987, Pope John Paul II visited the mission during his trip to the U.S.
The mission's original bell, nicknamed Ave Maria, was made in Mexico City in 1807. It was placed at the Mission in 1820. When the mission was taken over in 1834, the bell was removed. Local Native Americans kept it safe. It was lost for a while but found again during restoration. It was put back in the bell tower in 1925.
The Mission Today
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Thanks to Harry Downie's hard work, the Carmel Mission church is one of the most truly restored mission churches in California. It is a National Historic Landmark. It is still an active church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey.
Besides being a place of worship, the Carmel Mission also hosts many events. These include concerts, art shows, and talks. In 1986, the church got a special organ with unique horizontal trumpets. Its beautiful painted case has carvings that match the Spanish style of the main altar.
The mission also has several museums that share its history and the history of the area.
- The Harry Downie Museum tells about the restoration work.
- The Munras Family Heritage Museum shares the story of an important local family.
- The Jo Mora Chapel Gallery shows changing art exhibits. It also has a large monument sculpted by Jo Mora.
- The Convento Museum has the room where Father Serra lived and died. It also has other exhibits. One special chapel room holds some of the clothes Father Serra wore.
The mission grounds also used to be home to the Junípero Serra School, a private Catholic school for children up to 8th grade. The school closed at the end of the 2019-2020 school year.
Recent Restoration Work
In 2012, the Carmel Mission Foundation started a project to fix the basilica's roof. This was the third major repair of the basilica since it was built in 1797. Workers added more wood and steel beams to make the roof stronger. They also drilled holes in the thick walls and put in steel rods to make them stronger.
The project also updated the electrical system and added a fire safety system. The lights inside were replaced, and new chandeliers were added. The heating system was improved, and a restroom for people with disabilities was built. This project cost about $6.2 million, raised by the Carmel Mission Foundation.
Between 2000 and 2007, private money also paid for the cleaning and fixing of the old Spanish oil paintings inside the church. One very important painting fixed at this time was "The Deposition." Father Serra ordered this painting before he died. It now hangs near his tomb in the church.
In 2016, the foundation paid $2.0 million to rebuild the Quadrangle Courtyard. The old concrete surface was uneven and cracked. It was removed, and new pipes for water, fire, drains, and electricity were put in. Then, a stronger concrete surface was poured.
The foundation is planning an even bigger project for the mission's 250th anniversary in 2020. This $20 million project includes making the buildings safer in an earthquake. It also involves fixing up several historic buildings, like the Downie Museum, Mora Chapel Museum, and Convento Museum.
Vandalism at the Mission
On September 27, 2015, the San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo Mission was damaged. This happened after Father Serra was made a saint. A statue of Serra was pushed over and splattered with paint. The cemetery, mission doors, a fountain, and a crucifix were also damaged. Messages were painted on the ground and elsewhere in the mission courtyard.
Important People Buried Here
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Several important people are buried in the church and its churchyard:
- Juan Crespí (1721–1782), a Spanish missionary and explorer.
- Fermín Lasuén (1736–1803), a Spanish missionary and explorer.
- José Antonio Roméu (1742? – 1792), a Spanish governor of California.
- Junípero Serra (1713–1784), the founder of the Spanish missions in California and a Saint.
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See also
In Spanish: Misión San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo para niños
