Flashback San Diego: The Rebirth of Mission San Diego de Alcalá — Nov. 12, 1813

Mission San Diego de Alcal is California s first church File photo by Chris Stone Times of San Diego On Nov Mission San Diego de Alcal was reborn After years of turmoil earthquake damage and slow rebuilding the mission s new church was at last dedicated marking a moment of renewal for the region and the region that would one day become San Diego Natives utilize a primitive plow to prepare a field for planting near Mission San Diego de Alcal Drawing by A B Dodge Taken from p of San Diego Mission by Engelhardt Zephyrin Photo via Wikipedia general domain The original mission founded in by Father Jun pero Serra had endured a turbulent existence It was relocated from Presidio Hill to its present site in to find better water and farmland only to be attacked and partially destroyed two years later Over time the adobe structures weakened under the elements and an earthquake in caused key damage to the main church The rebuilding process took years relying on local Kumeyaay labor and Spanish Franciscan guidance with design changes meant to strengthen the mission s resilience A painting of Mission San Diego de Alcal as it appeared in depicts the original bell tower From Mission San Diego by Zephyrin Engelhardt p Photo via Wikipedia population domain By after nearly four decades of hardship the mission stood ready for rededication The new church the fourth structure built on the site was designed with thick adobe walls arched ceilings and distinctive buttresses for extra promotion The red tile roof replaced earlier thatching offering both durability and elegance The upshot was an enduring symbol of faith and endurance on the rugged California frontier Mission San Diego de Alcal as it stood circa Note the missing Campanario and the exposed church which fell into disrepair Photo via Wikipedia general domain The dedication ceremony on Nov wasn t just about architecture it represented a spiritual restoration The Franciscans soldiers settlers and indigenous converts who gathered that day witnessed the mission s rebirth as the center of a growing group From that point on Mission San Diego de Alcal would remain a focal point for worship agriculture and instruction in Alta California In the present day the mission still stands proudly in Mission Valley the oldest of California s missions and one of the earliest Christian sites in the state Reconstructed in to replicate its design it continues to serve as an working parish and historical landmark When visitors walk through its heavy wooden doors they enter a place where centuries of faith and history still echo all beginning anew on that November day in About people gathered to celebrate the start of Mission San Diego de Alcal s th anniversary year File photo by Chris Stone Times of San Diego Sources California Frontier Project Mission San Diego de Alcal Facts San Diego History Center Mission timeline archives Mission San Diego de Alcal official site and historical records HMdb Historical Marker Database The Dedication of the Mission Church