San Bernardino de Sena Estancia facts for kids
The estancia's "bell wall" was designed after the campanario at
Mission San Antonio de Pala. |
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 Location in California
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| Location | Redlands, California |
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| Coordinates | 34°2′54.8″N 117°12′59.9″W / 34.048556°N 117.216639°W |
| Name as founded | Estancia de la Misión San Gabriel, Arcángel |
| English translation | Station of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel |
| Patron | Saint Bernardinus of Masa Marrittima, near Siena, Italy |
| Nickname(s) | "The Place of Plenty to Eat and Drink" |
| Founding date | 1819 |
| Governing body | Redlands Conservancy |
| Current use | Historic Site and Event Venue |
| Reference no. | #42 |
The San Bernardino de Sena Estancia (also called the San Bernardino Rancho or Asistencia) was like a ranch outpost for Mission San Gabriel Arcángel. It was located in what is now Redlands, United States.
This outpost was built to help raise cattle. It also served as a place to gather and teach the Serrano people and Cahuilla people about the mission way of life. Over time, the original buildings fell apart.
In the early 1900s, a new, larger building was constructed as a museum. This new building looks similar in style to the old ones. However, it is not an exact copy of the original structures.
Contents
What Happened in the 1800s?
The first estancia (outpost) was set up in 1819. Later, around 1830, a second estancia was built. This second site was at a place called Politana rancheria. It was about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the first 1819 location.
Changes to Mission Lands
The Politana site of the San Bernardino de Sena Estancia is now a California Historical Landmark. In 1833–34, the lands belonging to the California missions were taken over by the Mexican government. This process was called secularization.
In 1842, Governor Juan B. Alvarado of Alta California gave a large land grant. This grant, called Rancho San Bernardino, went to the Lugo family and their cousin. It included all the original asistencia buildings. These buildings were the chapel, a tile kiln, a lime kiln, and a grist mill.
New Owners and Decline
In 1851, the property was sold to Charles C. Rich and Amasa Lyman. They were leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Bernardino. Bishop Nathan C. Tenney lived there from 1851 to 1859.
Then, Dr. Ben Barton bought the property in 1859. This happened because the Latter-day Saints were returning to Utah. Dr. Barton lived and worked as a doctor on the property until 1867. After he left, the abandoned adobe buildings slowly fell into ruin. People took materials from them over time.
The 20th Century Rebuilding
In 1925, the County of San Bernardino bought the property from the Barton family. All the remaining historical pieces were saved. Construction of a new, six-room building began in 1926. Funds for this project later came from the Works Progress Administration. The San Bernardino County Historical Society also helped.
Designing the New Structure
There wasn't enough money to restore "just" ranchos. So, the designers took some artistic freedom. The new six-room building included exhibit space and a home for the site manager. It replaced what was left of the original chapel.
Also, a separate campanario (bell wall) was built. This bell wall looked like the one at Mission San Antonio de Pala. However, no bell wall had ever existed at the original San Bernardino Estancia.
The rebuilding was finished in 1937. The new structures were opened to the public as "The Asistencia." It operated as a museum until 2018.
The Asistencia Today
Today, the facility is still known as the Asistencia. The Redlands Conservancy, a non-profit group, now runs it. It used to be a part of the San Bernardino County Museum. But in November 2018, it was given to the Redlands Conservancy.
The Asistencia is located at 26930 Barton Road in Redlands. The rebuilt asistencia and rancho buildings are open to visitors. You can drop in on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. There isn't full-time staff, and it no longer operates as a museum.
You might be able to arrange other tour times by appointment. The chapel and courtyard are also available to rent for weddings and other events.
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