Mormon Battalion Center
If you don't know a lot about the Mormon Battalion, they were a group of pioneers moving west who were approached by the U.S. Army to help fight in the Mexican-American war. Approximately 500 men and women marched with the army over 2,000 miles to CA where they became apart of CA history. This historic site was recently renovated, and it is beautiful.
The tour begins through this archway, and the people in the portraits you see on the wall come to life, with the help of one of the full-time missionaries serving at the center, you follow this group of people on their journey from the army's invitation to their arrival in CA.
Each room is completely and beautifully decorated to portray a moment in the story. This picture is a camp where the pioneers have temporarily stopped. The story is shown in movie form on the sides of the tent. This is where the army arrives to extend the call to serve.
Another room is a general store in a town the group stops in. Heather was able to be outfitted in the authentic gear one of the battalion would have worn.
After the tour, you are able to visit the court yard where the kids (and adults) can pan for gold, check out the brick making process, wash some clothes the old-fashioned way, and pull up some well water.
The tour ends on the beautiful porch. There is a covered wagon that is replicated to show what the U.S. Army wagons would have looked like. We all learned a bit more about this special battalion as well as the part they played in CA history. It was a fabulous experience!
Old Town San Diego
Located just across the street from the Battalion Center is Old Town. We walked the streets and checked out some great historic places.
A child's room in one of the typical haciendas of the time.
At the historic Steely Stable Museum, the curator asks the girls if they had done their chores that morning.
One of the stage coaches displayed in the museum.
The girls check out how to drive a four or six horse coach.
The reins were weighted to give the feel of what it was like to stop the group of horses.
We stopped at a local restaurant for Mexican food. Kelly ordered the, no-joke, Suicide verde pork burrito. He said it was hotter than a vindaloo (spicy Indian food), and he was sweating.
The mariachi band came to our table.
Jenna wasn't digging the attention.
Near the courthouse, Kelly and Heather played some old fashioned gambling games.
An authentic jail "cell". Quite different from our modern ones!
San Diego de Alcala Mission
Heather studied the CA Missions in 4th grade, and we have visited two of them. We couldn't resist visiting another. This mission was the first and oldest mission. Not quite as exciting as the Santa Barbara Mission, but still interesting. A group of natives killed one of the padres at this mission. I think later in the period, the relations became better between the natives and the missionaries. We ended our touring day here. What a great day!
2 comments:
How fun! I love the suicide pork picture. He's brave. I've had medium vindaloo once and it was way too spicy for me.
I love that this was such an educational day but also so fun. It's nice when history can come alive this way. :)
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