Mission La Purisima

Mission La Purisima (1787-1834) - A Spanish mission established in 1787 as Mission Vieja by Father Fermin Lasuen in present day Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, California. Associated with the Presidio of Santa Barbara. Named for Mary, the Mother of Jesus. The original mission was destroyed in 1812 by an earthquake and a new mission, Mission La Purisima was built four miles from the old site. Mission Secularized in 1834. Also known as Mission La Purisima Concepcion.

The Spanish Period (1769-1821)

The Spanish period began in California with the building of Mission San Diego de Alcala, and the Presidio of San Diego in 1769. The Spanish Presidio provided a support system for the attached missions that included military troops. The mission provided provided a complete community for the converted native peoples that included agriculture and industry activities as well as religious instruction and services. Typically a very limited military presence was maintained at the missions and the presidio acted as the garrison for the surrounding missions. The Mission La Purisima was founded on 8 Dec 1787, by Father Fermin Lasuen, as the 11th of twenty-one Spanish missions founded in California. The original mission was destroyed 21 Dec 1812 by an earthquake. A new mission was started in the spring of 1813 four miles from the old site. The new mission was built as a linear series of structures avoiding the problem of collapsing quadrangle walls. The old mission was abandoned and became known as Mission Vieja.

Mexican Period (1822-1846)

The Mexican period began with the end of the Mexican Revolution around 1820. Mexican troops occupied the presidios and Mexican governors ran the province of Alta California. The Mexican government began the process of secularization (turning church lands over to private interests) around 1831 and passed laws in 1833 mandating secularization of all missions in Mexico. Secularization gradually ended church ownership of community property. Most of the missions and presidios were abandoned and fell into disrepair as the lands were redistributed to private owners. Mission La Purisima was secularized in 1834.

The American Period (1846-Present)

The Mexican War was declared by the U.S. Congress on 11 May 1846 in response to a Mexican attack on U.S. troops in Texas. The declaration of war opened the door for American occupation of California. The American period began when American forces occupied San Diego in 1846. With end of the war, Mexico ceded all of upper California to the Americans in 1848 and a new round of land redistribution began.

On 19 Feb 1853, Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany filed a claim on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church for the return of all former mission lands in the State of California. Ownership of 1,051 acres (for all practical intents being the exact area of land occupied by the original mission buildings, cemeteries, and gardens) was transferred back to the Catholic Church by land patents and proclamations signed by U.S. Presidents between 1855 and 1874. Mission La Purisima was returned to the Catholic Church in 1874.

Current Status

Restored and interpreted Spanish mission. La Purisima Mission State Historic Park, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, California.

USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 246011

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Location: La Purisima Mission State Historic Park, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, California.

Maps & Images

Lat: 34.6713719 Long: -120.4229395

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Elevation: 157'

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Visited: 27 Nov 2012