![]() ![]() THC historical markers and National Park Service signs guide visitors to the general locations of the three missions. A presidio (San Francisco Xavier de Gigedo) and an Indian village are also part of the area's history. There are two other streetlights like this further to the south (or left in this photo).This lesser-known mission chain along the legendary El Camino Real de los Tejas includes three former mission sites (San Francisco Xavier de Horcasitas, San Ildefonso, and Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria), Apache Pass, and the natural lookout, Sugarloaf Mountain. The larger bell in front at the edge of the street is a streetlight with its shade in the same shape as the El Camino bells. The small verdigris bell closest to the church is the actual El Camino Real bell at this location. They are no longer necessary for finding our way, but they do show us the way back to the foundations of the state and its early history.įront view of Mission San Miguel. While theft of the bells still occurs unfortunately, the missing or damaged bells are being replaced. By 2006, the centennial of the original placements, they had installed over 550 of the bells along the route. This is in Los Gatos and an example of a city installed bell.īeginning in 2001, Caltrans began a major project re-establishing the marker bells along the El Camino. Pilgrim walkers along the El Camino Real. The original bells were made by the California Bell Company, and which still makes the bells today.Bells along state highways are installed and maintained by the California Department of Transportation (see their page on the bells here) where the El Camino is now on local roads, the local county or city is responsible for them.The common sign seen on the post reads: “Historic El Camino Real”. ![]() Along the El Camino Real the spacing of the bells is generally every one to two miles, based on the conditions along the roadway.The crozier is itself a copy of a tool that sheep herders use to capture an individual sheep out of a flock for some sort of attention or assistance The bent shape of the post is symbolic of the crook or crozier of a Catholic bishop, the shepherd of souls in his care.The pole or standard holding the bell is 3″ diameter pipe that stands 15′ tall (the originals in 1906 were 11′ tall).The originals were cast in metal, but are now made of concrete in the hope of cutting down on theft The bells are 18″ diameter at the bottom. ![]() Unfortunately, after that good beginning, it seems that little attention was paid to maintenance and upkeep.ĭamage, vandalism and theft took their toll and the marker bells slowly disappeared from much of the El Camino Real. Seven years later, in 1913, over 400 bells had been placed along the El Camino. The very first bell was installed in 1906 in front of the Old Plaza Church in Los Angeles. The El Camino Real Bells in the early 20th Century But it was rough business back then with long walks retracing their path if they took a wrong turn. I suppose we’re pretty well spoiled with our accurate maps and GPS systems which help us find our way. There is an example of one of these carvings at Mission San Miguel. The Franciscan friars and the Spanish soldiers who first traversed this highway marked the road by carving crosses in large trees. ![]() A few are that close together, but most aren’t. A commonly held “fact” is that the missions were built one day’s walk from each other. The El Camino Real started as a dirt foot and horse path between the missions. The Automobile Association (AAA) was quite busy back then marking roads so that the early travelers in the new autos could find their way from one place to another. The state generally didn’t mark roadways (such as they were) during that time and any road signs were placed by individuals or private groups. Forbes in 1906, these bells marking the route were back in those days the only guides for this route. Originally the idea of Miss Anna Pitcher and carried out by Mrs. Each of the 21 California missions has one of these bells, as the El Camino Real was the highway which connected each of these outposts of the Spanish Empire back in the 18th and 19th centuries. This week’s photo was taken on Mission Street in San Miguel which parallels the highway. In Central California, most of them are seen along Highway 101, but not all. Today, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) maintains the bells.Īlong the nearly 800 mile route of the El Camino Real in California there are hundreds of these bells which mark this historic highway connecting the missions. Forbes of the California Federation of Women’s Clubs beginning in 1906. The idea of marking the highway started with Miss Anna Pitcher in 1892 and was eventually made a reality by Mrs. The El Camino Real bells mark the route of the mission trail. ![]()
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