San Juan Bautista State Historic Park facts for kids
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San Juan Bautista Plaza Historic District
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Mission San Juan Bautista in 1934
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2211 Garden Road, San Juan Bautista, California |
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| Area | 6 acres (2.4 ha) |
| Built | 1797 |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000038 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 8, 1969 |
| Designated NHLD | April 15, 1970 |
San Juan Bautista State Historic Park is a special place in California. It is a state park that protects the old downtown area of San Juan Bautista, California. This park keeps many buildings safe that were built when California was under Spanish and Mexican rule.
The park includes the famous Mission San Juan Bautista. It also has the José Castro House and other important buildings. These buildings all face the historic town plaza. The area became a state park in 1933. In 1970, it was named a National Historic Landmark. It is also a stop on the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.
Exploring San Juan Bautista's Past
This park lets you step back in time. You can see how people lived long ago. It shows the history of California from its early days.
The Mission and Its Beginnings
Mission San Juan Bautista was started in 1797. It was the 15th Spanish mission in California. Its main goal was to teach local Native Americans about the Catholic Church. The mission was very successful at this.
The church you see today was built between 1803 and 1812. It is one of the biggest mission churches in California. It is still used as a Catholic church today.
Buildings Around the Plaza
Across the plaza from the mission is the Plaza Hotel. This building was first built in 1814. It was used as a place for Spanish soldiers to live. In 1858, a second floor was added. This gave it a special look called Monterey Colonial style.
After Mexico became independent, the Spanish missions changed. This happened in 1833, when the missions were no longer controlled by the church. The small village around the mission became a pueblo, which is like a town.
On the west side of the plaza, you will find the adobe house of José Antonio Castro. He was a very important leader in California. This was during the time when California was part of Mexico, from 1835 to 1846. His house was built between 1839 and 1841. It is a great example of the Monterey Colonial style. Today, it is a museum you can visit.
Close by, there is also the Juan de Anza House. This adobe house was built even before the Monterey Colonial style became popular.
