The 21 Missions of California

In 1769, Portola and his soldiers along with Father Junipero Serra, came to America to re-find the place explorer Cabrillo had claimed for Spain 200 years earlier. The 1st Mission was established at San Diego that day. The second near Monterey and then 19 more followed. Each a day's journey from the last, and each to set up a permanent settlement for Spain and to convert the Native Americans to Christianity.

Discovering that the Zorro legend, based in fact and fiction is tied to at least 5 of the Missions and the Gold Rush, has launched the re-birth of the CA hero. The Characters have been to 13 of the Missions in Zorro/Spanish CA attire all made by them, and invited back to each one.

In 1959, the Disney Zorro series was filmed at the Mission San Luis Rey and they have been welcomed there and take part in Living History by teaching sword fighting on their Founder's Day each year.

Performing in front of California's oldest and mother pepper tree

See the dance here

 Mission San Luis Rey

One of our favorite Missions! Click here to see an overview of the missions they've been to as part of this 4th grader's Mission project: The California Missions,  Zorro Style

Ballroom Paso Doble moves are paired with fencing moves to create a beautiful exhibition of what participants will learn

Mission San Luis Rey on the Guy Williams Zorro bench (dedicated by his son)

See more of their Zorro/California Flag Spanish dresses in the Zorro Movie Page here

13 Missions in all so far from San Diego to San Francisco

Above: San Diego de Alcala

Above: San Juan Capistrano

 Above: La Purisima de Concepcion

Above and below: Santa Barbara

A tour bus of students from Japan were excited to see the Characters in their outfits there. The students were happy chatting with them and taking pictures and did not even step foot into the mission! Good thing the Characters know how to say "Hello" in Japanese! They cheered when the mini Zorro held up his sword!

 Above: San Gabriel (Los Angeles)

  Above: San Francisco de Asis/Mission Dolores and Basilica

They even got to ring the antique bells! Click here to listen

In 2017, they visited the home mission and burial place of Founding Father Junipero Serra at the Mission San Carlos de Borromeo in Monterrey, CA (below).

Other Missions visited:

San Luis Obispo, San Buena Ventura, San Miguel...

San Fernando in Burbank

They loved the wine cellar where Lucille Ball filmed her famed 'grape smashing' scene. This mission was also raided by pirates and the floor tiles pulled up as they looked for gold. Bope Hope and his family are interred here.

 and

Santa Inez in Solvang

The Gold Rush of 1849

Sutter's Mill in Coloma, CA for the 1st ever Christmas Houses Event (2013)

In 1848, a fleck of gold was found in the American River while cleaning the tailrace at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. What transpired in the years to follow was the largest migration of gold seekers from all over the world and statehood for California. Though not the most peaceful or the most prosperous times as dreams of striking it rich were not realized, it did put California on the map and the state remains one of the most culturally diverse places in the world today.

The Old School House

Click here to see a slice of life at the School House

The Characters do Gold Rush Events in Southern California for the 4th Grade Curriculum. Each year they are a family with a different nationality and bring the International aspect as well as a different facet of life on the gold fields. See below:

Ireland

 An Irish Immigrant Family who owned an Inn for prospectors also trying to repeal the Foreign Miners Tax. The all spoke in thick Irish accents, played a jig or a dirge on the fiddle and flute. They were in the newspaper too, click to see here.

Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland

 A Scandinavian Tent School

Olie and the gang from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland taught things much like they would have been for children on the gold fields.

 Pioneer girls needed to know how to sew on a button or darn a sock, students were taught that by the girls.

Wade and Kristina have experienced the Scandinavian countries first hand by a visit in 2003 which also included Russia and Estonia.

Argentina

 Argentina was alive and well that year! Not only in the World Cup Final, but also the choice of the Characters for this year's Gold Rush Event this past Spring!

 Argentine Miner's Tango

an Argentine family of skilled miners dancing with pick axes & shovels for a Gold Rush Event

Since Argentina had adopted a Zorro legend, and they were skilled miners for whom the Foreign Miners Tax was aimed at, the outfits were inspired as such (and also the country's flag), and the poncho is authentic!

Helping on the gold field

They even brought thier 'pet llama'

Insisde the Basilica are beautiful stained glass of all 21 missions 

Then there is Spanish Explorer Portola and Father Junipero Serra

made by Kristina (from scratch), and yes, that's Kristina as a man!

 A Q & A with the CA history figures with 4th Graders



Below: Invited to ride on the Mission San Luis Rey's Grand Marshal Float for it's 215th Birthday in the Oceanside Independence Day Parade!

They snapped this of one of California's statues in the Capitol in 2017: Father Serra holding the Mission Carmel