The first on the chain of 21 missions was Mission San Diego de Alcala. Father Serra reached the shores of the San Diego Bay July 1st 1769. Father Serra founded mission San Diego de Alcala July 16th 1769. He named it after Saint Didacuse de Alcala who lived from 1400 through 1463. The mission was known as the mother of the missions. San Diego de Alcala is located in the former Mission Valley, 6 miles northeast of San Diego.
When you enter Mission San Diego de Alcala you will notice it is square like a small city and has a large wall around the perimeter to protect from attacks. In the center there is a courtyard called a patio or Garth. In the middle of the patio is a big fountain. Surrounding the Garth are the living quarters or conventos. The conventos contain workshops and dormitories. The girls and women get to stay in dormitories called monjerios, but the boys and men have to stay in buildings outside the mission complex called rancheros. Then on the west side of the mission is a garden. In the garden is a wishing well and a direct view of the bell wall. Then walk southwest to the bell wall that is 46 feet tall and holds five bells. Then visit the church which is 135 feet long, 35 feet wide, and 29 feet high and is built of adobe brick with. To get to the cemetery go northwest. Then go north to reach the workshops at which many men do their daily duties. Finally we go southwest to get to the friars’ quarters.
The bells on the bell wall wake people at sunrise, tell them when to go to mass and pray, when to go to Christian faith lessons and all their other daily duties. When the first bell rings and it is time for breakfast all the Indian woman that work in the kitchen get to work on the corn and grain mush called Atole. When the Indians finish eating it is time for their daily jobs. Indian men worked in the fields, orchids, or workshops. Indian women made food, baskets, cloth, or soap. When lunch comes around the Indian woman made Pazole that is a soup with barley, a little meat, and vegetables. When the Indians would finish their Pazole they would take a siesta or a nap. It is back to work again for a little while when they finish their siesta. Then they go to mass and have supper. After they have said their prayers they get church lessons and learn some of the Spanish language. Finally at the end of the day everyone plays games. On occasion like for births or marriages the padres would let the Indians have a fiesta or party. Sometimes the Indians would perform dances and sons from their heritage.
Mission San Diego de Alcala was rebuilt four times. The first time they rebuilt it was because it had a shortage of water and bad soil. They moved it to a location six miles away from the coast near a river. In the 1800’s there was droughts then flooding. The droughts dried the crops and the floods washed away the nutrients in the soil. Then in 1803 there was an earthquake that damaged the church. The repairs were made but then in 1808 another earthquake came and destroyed the work that had been done. Finally in 1813 a new church was built to withstand earthquakes. It was made with buttresses or extra support.
To this day you can still visit mission San Diego de Alcala and see all the history in its walls. You also can still go to mass or light a candle for a loved one at the church. Another thing you can do and experience there is throwing a coin in the wishing well. Mission San Diego de Alcala is full of history.
