The Golden State as we know it is composed of an amalgam of cultural influences, many of which are traced back to pre-Colombian history. However the time period at which we first begin to find elements of a recognizable California stands during the era of the New World Spanish colonies. Through the late 1700's into the early 1800's a series of missions along the Californian coast were built up, from San Diego reaching as far north as the San Francisco Bay down to San Diego (this array doesn't even include those founded in today's Baja California of Mexico) Serving the primary goal of evangelizing the already local native peoples, this network of missions also happened to become focal points of trade and commerce, which ultimately generated wealth and power for Spain on the west coast, and led to the growth of the state's major cities of today. The city of San Juan Capistrano is a testament of this past preserved for modern eyes under excellent efforts. Perhaps a major 19th century earthquake, causing widespread abandonment and disinterest of the once-prosperous stop on the El Camino Real (The Royal Road), allowed for the ruins to sit peacefully for another century without developmental disruption. The area now has resurfaced as a historical tourist center and a great destination for us on the Coverage Project to finally, get introduced to the true west coast.

Location Covered: San Juan Capistrano, CA ✅

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