Mission Carmel

The Carmel Mission was the second Spanish mission built in California, founded June 30, 1770, by Father Junipero Serra. Its full name, Mission San Carlos de Borromeo de Carmelo is for Saint Charles Borromeo, the Bishop of Milan who died in 1538.

Father Junipero Serra is its founder. It also has unique architecture, with stone walls and an arched ceiling.

Interesting Facts about Mission Carmel

Mission Carmel served as the headquarters of Father Serra, as such the building's design was more elaborate than other missions, and it actually had two bell towers, one that contained two bells and a larger one with nine bells.

The mission had a formal reception room called the Grand Sala, where Father Serra could meet with guests. (see photo below)

Also, California's first library was created at Mission Carmel, using books brought north from Mexico City's San Fernando Apostolic College. In 1778, the library had about 30 books, but by 1784 it grew to more than 300. Today, it holds about 600 volumes. (see photo below)

1770 to the Present Day

When the Spanish decided to build a second California mission near the Monterey Bay, Father Junipero Serra left San Diego to go there by ship.

At the same time, Governor Portola traveled by land. It took them each more than a month to travel about 400 miles, and Father Serra arrived about a week after Portola.

Two days after he arrived, on June 3, 1770, Father Serra founded the Carmel Mission, which was originally located at the Monterey Presidio.

Early Years

Portola left soon after the missions' founding. He left Lieutenant Fages in charge. Fages started to interfere with Carmel Mission. Within a year, Father Serra decided to move the mission to a spot on the Carmel River that had better soil and water and was further away from the soldiers.

In the summer of 1771, the first buildings were started, using 40 Indians from the south, 3 soldiers and 5 sailors for labor. The first winter was very hard. They arrived too late to plant crops. No ships could get there because of ocean storms. Finally, some soldiers went south toward present-day San Luis Obispo and killed some bears. They also harvested wild seeds along the way. In all, they carried enough food back to keep the people from starving.
 

Father Serra went along with the bear hunters. On the trip, he persuaded a sea captain to carry supplies back to the mission, but he did not return. Instead, he went to Mexico and was gone for a year and a half. While he was away, Father Palou took over.

1780 - 1800

In 1783, records show the mission had 165 converts, and there were 700 people living at Carmel Mission and on its ranch. They built an irrigation canal from the river to a pool nearby, where they kept fish. The Fathers trained the Indians to do farm and ranch work, blacksmithing and carpentry, and how to make adobe bricks, roof tiles, and tools.

Supplies ran low again in early 177. Many people almost died. That fall, things got better when they harvested 207 bushels of wheat, 250 bushels of corn and 45 bushels of beans. By 1774, the harvest was four times larger. About the same time, Don Juan Bautista de Anza established an inland route and started bringing supplies by land, so the settlers did not have to depend on ships.
 

Father Serra came back to Carmel in 1774. He moved into a small building next to Carmel Mission and administered mission affairs from there until he died on August 28, 1784, at age 70. He was buried next to Father Crespi, who died in 1782.
 

Fathers Palou and Lasuen succeeded Serra as Presidente of the Missions, and both of them made Carmel their headquarters.
 

By 1794, the Indian neophyte population reached 927. A new stone church was started in 1793 and finished in 1797.

1800 - 1830's

Father Lasuen died in 1803 and was buried in the church next to Fathers Crespi and Serra.

During its 66 year history, Carmel Mission made 4,000 converts, By 1823, the population had begun to decline, and only 381 were left. In 1833, Father Jose Real took charge.

Secularization

The next year, 1834, Mexico secularized the missions because it could not afford to support them after Mexico gained independence from Spain. The Mexican government sold the land around the church, right up to its walls. Father Real moved to Monterey and only held services at Carmel Mission occasionally.

The United States government gave the land back to the church in 1859. By then, the roof had collapsed, and it stayed in ruins for 30 years.

In the 20th Century

The church restoration was started in the 1930s by Harry Downie. Downie came to repair some of the statues but got interested in renovating the whole building. With support from Father Michael O'Connell, the pastor after 1933, he restored the church and surrounding buildings.

Carmel Mission became a parish church in 1933 and was designated a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1961. It is still an active parish church with regular services and a school.

Grand Sala

Library