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I N T H E S P O T L I G H T By Suzanne and Craig Sheumaker February 7, 2008 - The state of California is in the midst of a budget crisis, with a $14.5 billion deficit. While we commend Governor Schwarzenegger’s effort to propose solutions, we are very concerned about his choices. Among the proposals is the closing of 48 state parks, including 16 historical sites. The cost savings would be relatively small - $13.3 million, or one-thousandth of the money needed. But the consequences could be huge. Two particularly important historical sites are on his list. Between them, they attract 330,000 visitors a year. Look what could be lost: La Purísima Mission State Historic Park - Lompoc, CA - La Purísima Concepción was founded in December 1787 by Franciscan padres from Spain. Destroyed by an earthquake 25 years later, it was immediately rebuilt in a safer place four miles away. Its purpose was to convert the local Indians to Catholicism, transform them into Spanish citizens and create productive ranch lands that could service the needs of what was then Spanish territory. Approximately 1,000 Chumash Indian neophytes lived on the mission property, taking care of as many as 20,000 cattle and sheep as well as hundreds of horses, mules, burros and other livestock. When secularization brought an end to the mission system in 1833, the Indians left, and the mission fell into ruin. In 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) came to its rescue and began one of our nation's most complete mission restorations. Their effort was based on painstaking research and incorporated the old ruins into the new structures. The monastery building alone required the molding of 110,000 adobe bricks, 32,000 roof tiles and 10,000 floor tiles. Ten buildings and part of the water system, including an historic aqueduct, have since been restored and furnished. A five-acre garden shows native and domestic plants typical of a mission. Burros, horses, longhorn cattle, sheep and goats are corralled nearby. This exceptional restoration represents the most important portion of the original 300,000-acre property. Unlike most other Catholic missions, La Purísima Concepción had several small courtyards rather than a large quadrangle. Each has something different and interesting for visitors to explore. Volunteer docents, assuming the roles of mission inhabitants of the 1820s, gladly share the mission's history, tend the gardens and practice a variety of traditional crafts. In addition, special visitor activities are held throughout the year - including Mission Life, Mountain Men, Purísima's People, Village Days, Garden Tours, Candlelight Tours and more. Sutter's Fort State Historic Park - Sacramento, CA - This history-filled park is located smack-dab in midtown Sacramento, the state capital. It dates back more than 165 years to a pivotal time in U.S. history when pioneers and prospectors headed West by the tens of thousands. Built in 1841, the “Fort” was a 320-foot long adobe compound that served as both the home and business center for one of California's most influential early citizens, Swiss immigrant John Sutter. Sutter was an extraordinary man - a hardworking dreamer who led an up-and-down life but made many important things happen. He built a flourishing agricultural empire and employed hundreds of Wiwok and Maidu Indian workers. He achieved good relations with the Mexican authorities who ruled California until the mid-1840s. He exported wheat to Russian Alaska and later purchased Fort Ross, a Russian fur trading outpost on the northern California coast. He was generous with his hospitality, providing shelter and supplies to many weary pioneers. He sent rescuers to save the hapless Donner Party stranded in the Sierra Nevada Mountains during the winter of 1846-47. He also entertained dignitaries and colorful figures such as John C. Fremont and Kit Carson. In 1848, however, Sutter’s world began to unravel. A carpenter working for him discovered gold at a sawmill being built on the American River. Word of the discovery ignited the California Gold Rush. Sutter’s workers deserted him for the goldfields. Prospectors from all over the world overran his properties. In a few short years, all that was left of Sutter's Fort was the central building, his house. Not to be forgotten, the Fort complex came back to life in the hands of history-minded citizens. Its restoration began as far back as 1891. Today, it includes the quarters for Sutter and some of his workers as well as the bakery, blanket factory, blacksmith shop, carpenter shop and other workshops. It is furnished to reflect the Fort’s heyday and is the site of many history-based activities and programs. Part of the California State Park System since 1947, it remains today as the oldest Fort restoration in the United States. Help protect such treasures - Imagine what would happen to these and other historical sites if they close because of uncaring budget cuts. Just a few years of neglect could lead to irreparable damage. Every time we lose the physical remnants of America’s past, we lose a part of our national soul. Please don’t let this happen. Californians - and all Americans who care - should take action during any budget crisis. Write your government representatives. Send letters to the media. Arouse the concern of friends, churches, community service organizations. Suggest some solutions. In this election year especially, our voices will be heard.
© 2007 Suzanne and Craig Sheumaker - All rights reserved. Please feel free to use all or part of this article in your newspaper or newsletter, post it on your blog or email it to friends, family, whomever. We ask only that you credit the authors and include a link to our website. Thank you! | ||
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