Mission San Luis Rey

Returning to the timeline - June 22, 1993
San Diego County, CA
Ninth of nine landmarks visited that day and comin from Pala

On a mission to the mission on

Mission Avenue

to see the California 4^th grader’s history-social science poster child of architectural excellence for obligatory mission model building. The standard procedure is have the students fabricate a mission and turn in the project as a major component of state history. A useless component for sure, but after performing on many school campuses, it has been interesting to see what they turn in. Some go for the Santa Fe look of simplicity; a baking soda box covered with bondo and spray paint. Others (often from Orange County) appear to hire architects, with the mission crafted to exact scale with landscaping and wee little figures at mass dressed in Nordstrom weave.

Don’t know if the DeSoto is going to make it out of ’93, she’s a burnin’ some oil and better mileage would be nice. It had been a hot day and the better half was saying the car cooler had bogged down in the sea air. With eight landmarks behind us that day, there was no time for the gift shop. We needed a room for the night….there was a balloon ride in the morning in Temecula and landmarks in the Corona region. On a mission.

Plaque inscription for #239 Mission San Luis Rey De Francia: Founded June 12, 1798 by Father Lasuen, then president of the California missions, and administered by Father Peyri. Notable for its impressive architecture - a composite of Spanish, Moorish, Mexican.
Directions: Hwy 76 (4050 Mission Ave) at Rancho Del Oro, Oceanside; 2nd plaque located near lavanderia on Rancho Del Oro Rd. N 33° 13.929 W 117° 19.144
The plaque used to be on the exit road to the SW, but it was moved by the flag poles in front.