Mission Valley - San Diego, California

The San Diego River Valley has attracted settlers and development since Native American roamed the area. Indian villages have given way to shopping centers, hotels, apartments and office buildings making Mission Valley one of several centers of activity in San Diego County.

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The river has been tamed to the point that its hard to even see most of the year and only occasionally floods a few parking lots in very wet years.

As part of Spain's attempt to secure what is now the San Diego area from Russian encroachment, Father Junipero Serra founded the first California Mission on Presidio Hill in 1769. He later moved Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala to its current location in Mission Valley, giving the area its name.

The Mission's presence encouraged an emphasis on agriculture in the area. Dairy farms were popular for many years in Mission Valley. Sand and gravel quarries also became important industries with several still in business.

Commercial development was given a boost with the completion of U.S. 80/I-8 in the 1950s. Four major malls—Fashion Valley Mall, Fenton Marketplace, Hazard Center and Mission Valley Mall—as well as several smaller shopping centers and auto dealers have replaced most of the agriculture in Mission Valley.

Mission Valley is central to a number of Major San Diego attractions and Hotel Circle offers visitors accommodations at many well-known hotels—choose Mission Valley/Old Town from the drop down menu).

Old Town and Heritage Park are at the southern end of the valley and La Jolla, Mission Bay, Point Loma and Downtown San Diego are all easily accessable.

Modern condominiums and rental apartments have been and continue to be built in the area making it an improving residential area.

In 1967 Qualcomm Stadium was completed and has been home to the San Diego Chargers and, until Petco Park was finished in 2004, the Padres as well. Qualcomm Stadium's parking lot was put to good use during the October 2003 wild fires temporarily housing over 10,000 evacuees.

Mission Basilica San Diego De Alcala

Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala was founded by Father Junipero Serra on July 16, 1769. Known as the Mother of the Missions because it was the first of twenty-one in California, Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala is now an active Catholic Parish in the Diocese of San Diego.

The forty-six foot tall Campanario which holds the Mission bells. Bells play an important role in the everyday life of the Missions. They're used to announce times for Mass, work, meals, and siestas, to signal danger, honor the dead and to celebrate feast days, weddings, and fiestas.

The chapel was built in 1977. It has choir stalls, a throne and alter that came from a Carmelite monastery in Plasencia, Spain. The choir stalls are constructed in such a way that no nails are needed to hold them together.

At Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala's peak in 1797 its land area encompassed 50,000 acres and they harvested corn, wheat, barley, kidney beans and chick peas. There were vineyards producing grapes for wine and gardens providing vegetables. The mission owned 10,000 head of cattle, 1250 horses and 20,000 sheep.

Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala was burned to the ground by Native Americans on November 4, 1775. After California became part of the United States the Mission was used for several years by various companies of artillery and cavalry until 1858 or early 1859 then abandoned for several years.

For seventeen years, beginning in 1892, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondolet ran an American Indian childrens' school. In 1931, the mission was rebuilt to mirror the 1813 church.

The garden became a formal part of the Mission after the rebuilding of the church. A statue of St. Joseph represents the patron saint of the original expedition to San Diego.

A life size bronze sculpture titled the Pieta - The Thirteenth Station of the Cross is in one corner of the garden.

A project of the Via Dolorosa Society it is one of a series of life size works of art depicting the fourteen Stations of the Cross or stopping places on Jesus' journey from Pilate's Practorium to His death on Calvary that the Society plans to produce and install.

A museum at the mission has informative exhibits on California history and Native Americans - including the Kumeyaay, their crafts and lifestyle. The emphasis is on the development of San Diego and the California Missions. Numerous plaques and signs around the Mission provide additional historical information about Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala.

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