San Bernardino de Sena Estancia facts for kids
The estancia's "bell wall" was designed after the campanario at
Mission San Antonio de Pala. |
|
 Location in California
|
|
| Location | Redlands, California |
|---|---|
| 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 was a special ranch connected to Mission San Gabriel Arcángel. It was located in what is now Redlands, California. This ranch, also called the San Bernardino Rancho or Asistencia, was used to raise cattle. It also helped Serrano people and Cahuilla people, who are Native American groups, learn new ways of life at the mission.
Over many years, the original buildings became very old and damaged. In the early 1900s, a new, larger building was constructed. This new building was made to look like the old ones. It now serves as a museum and event space.
Contents
The Estancia's Early Days (1800s)
The San Bernardino de Sena Estancia was first set up in 1819. An estancia is like a ranch outpost. It was a place where people could live and work away from the main mission.
Around 1830, a second estancia was built. This one was at a place called Politana rancheria. It was about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the first site. The Politana site is now a California Historical Landmark. This means it's a very important historical place.
Changes in Ownership
In 1833–34, the lands belonging to the California missions were taken over by the Mexican government. This was part of a process called secularization.
In 1842, Governor Juan B. Alvarado of Alta California gave a large piece of land, called Rancho San Bernardino, to the Lugo family. This included the original asistencia buildings. These buildings included a small chapel, a tile kiln (for making tiles), a lime kiln (for making lime), and a grist mill (for grinding grain).
Later, in 1851, the property was sold again. This time, it was bought by Charles C. Rich and Amasa Lyman. They were leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints settlement in San Bernardino. A church leader named Bishop Nathan C. Tenney lived there until 1859.
After that, Dr. Ben Barton bought the property. He bought it when the Latter-day Saints moved back to Utah. Dr. Barton was a doctor and lived on the property until 1867. Over time, the old adobe buildings were left empty. Materials were taken from them, and they slowly fell apart.
Rebuilding in the 1900s
In 1925, the County of San Bernardino bought the property from the Barton family. All the remaining old materials were saved. Construction on a new, six-room building began in 1926. Money for this project also came from the Works Progress Administration. This was a government program that helped people find jobs during tough economic times. The San Bernardino County Historical Society also helped.
Since there wasn't much money to restore "just" old ranches, the new building was designed with some creative ideas. It had six rooms, including space for exhibits and a home for the site manager. This new building replaced what was left of the original chapel.
A special bell wall was also built. It was similar to the one at Mission San Antonio de Pala. However, there had not been a bell wall at the original estancia. The rebuilding was finished in 1937. The new structures were opened to the public as "The Asistencia." It was used as a museum for many years, until 2018.
The Asistencia Today
Today, the facility is still known as the Asistencia. It is managed by the Redlands Conservancy, a non-profit group. It used to be part of the San Bernardino County Museum. In November 2018, it was given to the Redlands Conservancy.
The Asistencia is located at 26930 Barton Road in Redlands. The rebuilt buildings are open for visitors on Mondays and Wednesdays. You can visit from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. There isn't a full-time staff member there, and it no longer operates as a museum every day.
You can also arrange other tour times by appointment. The chapel and courtyard are popular places for weddings and other special events.
More to Explore
