Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
Posted by: 
Touchstone
N 36° 32.581 W 121° 55.202
10S E 596664 N 4044722
Mission San Carlos was established by Father Serra on June 3, 1770 at the Presidio of Monterey. Finding this location unsuitable, Serra moved the mission to Carmel Valley. In July 1771 he set to work constructing temporary buildings at the new site, and in December 1771 the mission was moved to its permanent location.
Waymark Code: WM798
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 02/06/2006
Views: 98
As the official State description above of this mission suggests, this was the second Mission built in the area of Monterey Bay. The Presidio Church (also an historic site) was the first.
The Carmel Mission (as it is more commonly known) was Fray Serra's favorite, and perhaps for that reason his remains are
interred under the altar of the church. The Carmel Mission is also unique
architecturally, in that most of the Missions built along the de Anza Trail were
made of adobe (mud bricks), this one is made of stone. Still, after
the Missions were abandoned in the mid 1800's the Carmel Mission fell into
ruin. Then in 1931, a layman, Harry Downie, came to Carmel, as curator in
charge of restoring the mission. From that time until his death in 1980, Harry
dedicated his life to the California missions, working on numerous other
restorations as well as at his beloved Carmel.
On its splendid site at the mouth of the Carmel Valley and overlooking the
sea, the old mission has survived years of neglect and is now one of the
outstanding historic landmarks in California. Much of the stateliness of its
early days has been recaptured in the careful restoration of the buildings,
while the beauty of its gardens is unsurpassed. The Moorish influence in the
architecture of the church is unique.
I could find no evidence of a State Historic Marker, so I took coordinates at
the door of the church. There is a fee that is collected in the gift shop
if you would like to tour the grounds.