Father Serra gave the responsibility of the mission’s construction to
Jose Cavalier. Father Cavellar, five soldiers and two Christian Indians began
building the mission. Local natives, the Chumash Indians, helped as well.
The Spanish built the mission by using adobe, mud, straw and water. It
took about 1 year to build the mission. It was completed in 1772. There were
difficulties constructing the mission. Some difficulties included shortage of
food and also fires that damaged the buildings. After all of these
difficulties, they built the missions roof out of clay and tile. They packed
the adobe in to wooden molds and then left the bricks to dry in the sun. Once
the bricks hardened, they were ready to be used to form walls.
Church exterior: The mission’s “L” shape is
different from the usual mission, which are usually long, narrow and
rectangles. “L” shaped church wing is almost as large as the main building. The
outside walls are made from adobe, covered with plaster, and then whitewashed.
The roof is made from baked tiles which are red color.
In front of the church, the three original Peruvian bells are hanging. A
colorful garden is planted in front of the main entrance. The garden has small
fountain, a statue of Saint Francis of Assisi in a niche on a side wall and
what appears to be an old kiln or beehive oven displayed in the garden.
Church Interior: The ceiling and floor was originally wooden. Indian Fresco’s designs
decorate the lower section of the walls. There are also original Stations of
the Cross paintings hang on the walls.
At the center of the “L” there is a sanctuary. The main altar is the one
used from the old mission days. In the center above the main altar is the
original statue of St. Louis, Bishop of Toulouse.
The patio is beside the church and behind the convent and has flower
gardens. The patio has the remaining walls of original mission.
The old convento had 2 parts, Portico with its eleven columns and is
now one of the most complete museums of the mission chain.
They made a fountain to wash their clothes and do laundry back when the
mission was first built. If you visit the mission today, when you reach the top
of the stairs hang on to the handrail and look up. Note the mission bells
(named, left to right: Sorrow, Angelus [Gloria]and Joy).
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