Page 677 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

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kayaking an exciting experience.
The snorkeling and scuba diving
here are considered to be
among the best on the entire
Pacific Coast.
Wildlife on these islands is
plentiful and includes sea lions,
elephant seals, cormorants, and
gulls. Depending on the time
of year, visitors can spot gray
whales, dolphins, and California
brown pelicans on the passage
across the Santa Barbara Channel. La Purísima Concepción Mission in Lompoc Valley
life. Visitors can view the priests’ the San Luis Obispo Mission
r Lompoc Valley living quarters, furnished de Tolosa, founded on
with authentic pieces in the September 1, 1772, by Father
~ @ Lompoc. n 111 S I St,
Lompoc, (800 240-0999). elegant residence building. Junípero Serra (see p680). Fifth
∑ lompoc.com The simple, narrow church is in the chain of 21 missions, and
decorated with colorful also one of the wealthiest, it is
One of the world’s major stencilwork. The adjacent still in use as a parish church.
producers of flower seed, workshops at one time produced Beside the church, the mission’s
Lompoc Valley is surrounded cloth, candles, leather goods, museum displays artifacts of the
by hills and flower fields, and is and furniture. Chumash tribe, the padre’s bed,
a blaze of color between late The mission’s gardens also and the mission’s original altar.
spring and midsummer each have been faithfully restored. In front of the church is
year. Marigolds, sweet peas, The numerous varieties of fruit, Mission Plaza, a landscaped
asters, lobelia, larkspur, vegetables, and herbs that are public square bisected by the
nasturtiums, and cornflowers now grown here were all tree-lined San Luis Creek. During
are just some of the varieties common in the 19th century. the 1860s, bullfights and bear-
grown here. A map of the Visitors can also view the baiting took place here; today
area’s flower fields is distrib- system that provided the it hosts many of the city’s less
uted by Lompoc town’s mission with water. bloody events.
Chamber of Commerce. The Just west of the Plaza is the
Civic Center Plaza, between R La Purísima Concepción Ah Louis Store. Founded in 1874
Ocean Avenue and C Street, Mission by a Chinese cook, and railroad
has a display garden where all 2295 Purísima Rd, Lompoc. Tel (805) laborer, it became the center of
the varieties of flowers are 733-3713. Open 9am–5pm daily. a then-thriving Chinatown and
labeled and identified. Closed Jan 1, Thanksgiving, Dec 25. served as a post office, bank,
California’s 11th mission, La & ∑ lapurisimamission.org and store. The property is still
Purísima Concepción, located owned by the Louis family, but
3 miles (5 km) northeast of t San Luis Obispo it is now a gift shop.
Lompoc, was declared a State * 43,000. ~ £ @ n 811 El
Historic Park during the 1930s. Capitan Way, (805) 541-8000. R San Luis Obispo Mission
The early 19th-century buildings ∑ visitsanluisobispocounty.com de Tolosa
have now been perfectly 751 Palm St. Tel (805) 781-8220.
reconstructed, and the entire This small city, situated in Open 9am–5pm Mon–Fri. Closed Jan
complex provides a real insight a valley in the Santa Lucia 1, Easter, Thanksgiving, Dec 25.
into the missionary way of Mountains, developed around ∑ missionsanluisobispo.org
Mission Architecture
The 21 missions established along El Camino Real were
adaptations of Mexican Baroque architecture. Designed
by friars, these provincial versions were built of adobe
bricks and wood by unskilled Native Americans. Over the
years they decayed or were shaken by earthquakes, but
many have been carefully restored. Distinctive features
include massive walls covered with white lime cement,
small window openings, rounded gables, and tiered bell
towers. The early 20th-century Mission Revival style is a
more elegant version of the original. Today, most missions
Santa Barbara Mission offer public tours.

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