killerplants.com | Plants that Changed History | Free Newsletter Signup

Why was classic Southwestern architecture created?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

March 29, 2005

Sponsored By: National Geographic—>Click here.

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~ 4~~5~~6~~7~~8~~9~~10~~

Suggested Reading—>Click here.

Assorted Killer Savings Garden Links—>Click here.

Killer Picks: Unique Professionally Designed Gardens—>Click here.

In 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo left Navidad, New Spain (Acapulco, Mexico) to explore the Pacific coastline from Baja California to Alta California. Cabrillo noted that many of the Natives of the coastal areas wore animal skins and lived in huts built of willow frames covered with tules and mud. The tule huts were practical—water-resistant, warm, and easily constructed. Tules (Scirpus californicus (C.A. Meyer) Steudel) once grew in the vast marshes of central and coastal California.
Plant of the Week 11/29/2004

Tules (Scirpus californicus (C.A. Meyer) Steudel) The tule [too' lee or too' lay] received its name in 1772 when a large lake in what is now the San Joaquin Valley of California was discovered by Pedro Fages. The lake, no longer in existence, once covered 760 square miles. Fages named the area Los Tules for the vast marshes of bulrush. Tule probably came from the Spanish tullin meaning cattail. Large stands of tules became known as tulares. Plant of the Week, November 29, 2004

(See Plant of the Week, November 29, 2004)

Cabrillo's expedition amounted to little. New Spain and Baja California continued to attract settlers, but Alta California remained an untouched portion of the Spanish empire.

In 1768, King Carlos III of Spain noted that the English and Russian empires were expanding their exploration along the northern Pacific coast. Lest he lose claim to 'Upper' California, he ordered General José de Gálvez to organize troops and missionaries to colonize north of the Baja.

The concept was simple: a series of twenty-one missions and four presidios (forts) along the coast. This would establish a military and church presence. Offers of livestock, land, and aid would attract settlers to the pueblos (towns) that would follow. The trilateral colonization would ensure Spain's claim to the land—troops for protection, settlers for goods and services, and missions for educational and religious support. Furthermore, the Franciscan monks would convert the natives.

The concept was simple: a series of twenty-one missions and four presidios (forts) along the coast. Fray Junípero Serra was chosen presidente, leader of the padres on this 'sacred expedition'. Map of California Missions Art Print View Larger
Buy Art Print at AllPosters.com

Fray Junípero Serra was chosen presidente, leader of the padres on this 'sacred expedition'. By July of 1769, Serra established San Diego de Alcalá, the first mission extending El Camino Real into Alta California. The fifth mission was San Luis, Obispo de Tolosa (Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse, France). Serra completed nine of the missions before his death in 1784; by 1798, nineteen existed.

The first buildings were not much—simply log shelters to house monks during the construction of permanent buildings. And they took a lesson in construction from the natives. Roofs were framed with logs and thatched with insulating tules. These rushes were also spread to cover the dirt floors.

The permanent structures of the missions were built of adobe, mud blocks, each weighing about 60 pounds. The adobe was overlaid with plaster and roofs extended into arcades to protect the adobe blocks from rain. But tules continued as the major roofing.

In 1776, natives, hostile to the colonization of California, attacked San Luis, Obispo. Flaming arrows were shot onto the tule roofs. Everything but the church and the granary were burned to the ground. The mission was attacked and burned two more times in the next ten years.

Three times was the 'charm'—the padres decided fire-proof roofing was needed. They created tejas, terra cotta tiles shaped over a log and fired in a kiln. The mission technique of plastered adobe walls and red tiled roofs became the classic architectural style of the Southwest.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia has information on Spanish missions in California and a drawing of native huts built of willow frames covered with tules and mud. To view the drawing and learn more, click on the link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_missions_in_California

The California Mission Site: Provides both brief and in-depth histories of each mission in California, along with historic photos and authentic mission music. To view California Mission Site, click on the link:

http://www.californiamissions.com/

Click on the Enter for a Virtual Tour of the site.

This is a fascinating website for history buffs. Take some time to view other offerings on this site.

(Compiled from: "The Missions of Old California", no author listed, originally published 1922, Old and Sold Antiques Digest; "Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo", Andre Engels, Discoverers' Web; "Illustrated Glossary of Term Relating to California Missions and Other Hispanic Sites", Sasha Honig, ed., California Mission Studies Association and "Chronology of California Mission History", California Missions Foundation, 2000.)

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~ 4~~5~~6~~7~~8~~9~~10~~

Unique Professionally Designed Gardens

Springhill Nursery®

Spring Hill Nursery has unique gardens professionally designed by experts to take the guesswork out of gardening. Whether you are looking for a three season garden, foundation garden, or a garden to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, Spring Hill Nursery has created a step-by-step design just for you. Click here - Save $20 on $50 order