Mission San Diego de Alcala

The Mission was founded on July 16, 1769 by Franciscan Friar Father Junipero Serra on the site that is now the Presidio. (See preceeding blog entry). It was relocated to its present site in 1774 to be nearer the existing Indian villages and to reliable water sources and farmland. It was the first in a chain of 21 missions along the coast of California and is consequently known as the Mother of the Missions. (Additional images, including historical photos, can be found further down in this blog.) For a complete list see California Missions.

Tall Ships on the Bay

One of my favorites, this image was taken from the Embarcadero looking southwest with lighting from the golden late afternoon winter sun. It offers a hint of what might have been seen during the early years of California exploration. No indications of contemporary civilization are visible in this photograph.