Discover the Top 10 Fun Facts About Mission San Diego de Alcala: Uncover Hidden Gems & Amazing History!

1. Swiping Right on Real Estate

Before the mission had a chance to yell "Location, Location, Location!", Saint Junípero Serra went ahead and swiped right on a prime piece of real estate: In 1769, Mission San Diego de Alcalá was established by the renowned Franciscan priest and later relocated to its current spot in 1774, near Kumeyaay villages that offered a great water source and fertile land for farming—respectfully avoiding building over an old Kumeyaay village site.
Source => missionsandiegohistory.org

2. Channeling Inner Tom Cruise

When the padres cried "mission impossible" after a native uprising left their abode in shambles, they channeled their inner Tom Cruise and chose to fortify: Mission San Diego de Alcalá was rebuilt to resemble an army fort after a violent attack by Tipai-Ipai Indians in 1775, employing master mason Miguel Blanco to construct a larger church with high windows for protection and buttresses that would save the day during the 1812 earthquake.
Source => californiamissionsfoundation.org

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3. Ahoy, Ghostly Tales!

Ahoy, Elizabeth Swann, we've got a ghostly tale from the California coast: Mission San Diego de Alcala was the site of the first Christian burial in California, when sailor Juan Diego was laid to rest on July 11, 1769, after a deadly encounter with Native Americans during an expedition.
Source => nps.gov

4. Musical Missions

Playing a game of musical missions: Mission San Diego de Alcalá packed up and moved six miles east from its original spot on Presidio Hill, only to have the San Diego Presidio plant itself there later: Truly the first and the trailblazer of the 21 Catholic missions established by the Spanish in California, its relocation wasn't a divine prank but a strategic decision to better serve the community they were founding.
Source => nps.gov

5. American Ninja Warrior: Mission Edition

If Mission San Diego de Alcalá were a contestant on the historical edition of American Ninja Warrior, it would get a medal for sheer perseverance through obstacle courses: built in 1769, the mission suffered an arson attack by Native Americans in 1775, only to shake it off and then endure an earthquake in 1801 – all the while rebuilding and carrying on with its noble pursuits.
Source => californiamissionsmuseum.com

6. Digging Up San Diego History

Allow me to dig up some San Diego history, quite literally: Mission San Diego de Alcalá is home to California's first Christian burial in Alta California, as well as the resting place of Father Luis Jayme, the state's first Catholic Martyr, tucked safely beneath the chancel floor.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Flamboyant Family Reunion Star

Like a flamboyant relative that always arrives first at family reunions, Mission San Diego de Alcalá certainly knows how to kick off a party: It was the first of the twenty-one California missions established in 1769, founded by Friar Junípero Serra and his successors, and has since survived Native American uprisings, secularization by the Mexican government, and busted its way into becoming a minor basilica, now serving as a parish church with a visitor's center, museum, and school building under its glorious wings.
Source => sah-archipedia.org

8. Mother Mission's Daddy Issues

Don't be fooled by its 'Mother of the Missions' swagger, this Mission has daddy issues: While Mission San Diego de Alcala was established in 1769 as the first mission in California, the real Mother Hen of the bunch is Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, the head-chick-quarters of the California mission system and the resting place of Father Junipero Serra.
Source => nps.gov

9. Morbidly Appealing Burials

Ever thought about getting buried in California's fruitful soil, nestled between avocados and citrus trees? Sounds morbidly appealing, right?: Mission San Diego de Alcalá not only boasts California's first European cemetery, but also delights visitors with century-old hibiscus, succulents, and a thriving grove of olive, citrus, and avocado trees in its surrounding gardens.
Source => nps.gov

10. Kumeyaay Say "Don't Harsh My Mellow"

When the Kumeyaay people said, "don't harsh my mellow, man," they really meant it: They fiercely resisted the Spanish missionaries' attempts to convert them to Christianity, culminating in the 1775 insurrection at Mission San Diego de Alcala, where they pushed back against cultural and religious threats to their way of life.
Source => kumeyaay.com