Leaving Religion and Politics at the Door, I will say the Missions are a huge part of California's History that should be studied regardless if you think it was right or wrong. And that's all I got to say about that. Great Video.

Yet another historical gem I was completely ignorant of. It is a beautiful mission, for sure. Thanks for reducing my ignorance one place at a time.

It is interesting to note the inconsistency in the record of the marriage, Juan Maria Ruiz of "El Fuerte, Sonora". I say this because there is no town in Sonora named El Fuerte. The fact is that there is a town named El Fuerte, but in the neighboring state of Sinaloa, founded in 1610 by Diego Martínez de Hurdaide, who named the town because hostile Indians would often attack the town which built a forth around it; thus he name El Fuerte , the formal name of that town is Fuerte del Marqués de Montesclaros.

It’s heart breaking when you think about how many Indians are buried in that huge graveyard. I’ve been to a few missions and I’m glad to see the honesty in how big that cemetery is. Thank you for the video, I thought this mission was off limits because it’s in the base

Shameful that the cemetery has been so neglected. Did a few weeks at Hunter Liggett, never new about the Mission. Great video, thanks for sharing.

What an amazing location. We made a visit to Mission San Antonio De Pala, south of Temecula a couple years back, and it was a beautiful site.

What a calming place. Really amazing how it looks just like it did back in the day. The remoteness makes it great.

Beautiful location. I can't imagine how incredibly peaceful it would have been at one time in history. And there's something beautiful about the style of missions regardless. Really enjoyed seeing this one.

Great post! When I was teaching, I helped a 4th grader with his report about this mission. It's amazing how much information was left out of the research sources - both online and in books. Intentionally? Perhaps. Your report filled in a lot of gaps. Thank you.

Mission San Antonio is a super unique one. My uncle and I helped to build a historical adobe oven out there and it was so fun to learn about the old construction techniques in that setting.

The military base helps to preserve the Mission's surrounding landscape. Let's hope the base never closes. If it ever does, developers will probably come out of the woodwork and tear it all up. That would be a shame.

I lived on Ft Hunter Liggett and many of the residents on post never knew there is a mission a 1/4 mile up the road. Its a beautiful mission and looks like the central court yard has been remodeled?

It looks like such a quiet, peaceful place now. I imagine it was quite busy and noisy when it was in use. The mission chapel is really beautiful and light, perhaps more so than when it was originally built. Near Tucson, AZ the mission of San Xavier del Bac (still an active parish on the Tohono O'odham Nation land) is very ornate, beautifully decorated and rather dark. Although there is of course ongoing restoration, it was never a "ruin". Tumacacori, another mission started by Father Kino is just South of San Xavier. The Chapel has been repaired, but is in a state of "arrested" ruin. Another 5***** Star tour. Thanks

Excellent video, both in images and words. You really captured the mission well in this relatively short video. This is probably my favorite California mission, mostly for the reasons you discussed. (I have to admit, I also enjoy driving through the army fort on the way there. :) )

My late husband and I followed a “trail” of missions from Southern Colorado down to Santa Fe one spring in the late 90’s for an Easter vacation and it was a wonderful, peaceful journey. We have also visited many of the California missions but unfortunately, not this one. As a teen I spent four years of high school at St. Anthony of Padua High School in Minneapolis and I have a statue of St. Anthony in my garden. Thank you for the wonderful memories your video evoked. Miss my husband so much. ❤⛪️

I did training at Ft Hunter Ligget a couple times 2008 and 2009. If the barracks are still there, the mission is in walking distance from the barracks, well walking distance for a soldier, lol. I think it was a 10 minutes to walk. And the restoration looks nice. I don't remember the restoration when I was there.

Not a Californian, but I really love your historical videos. I was raised in Arizona and now living in New Mexico, so I also enjoy it when you have historical videos of those states. I also love it when you visit roadside attractions and show us all the goodies they have in there.

I delivered office equipment a few times to the Fort. It's about a 2:20 drive from San Jose, which is about an hour away from my starting point. Easy drive, but long.

My family and I traveled up the coast visiting all the missions one summer. This is the only one we couldn't get to. Not only was it closed, but the gate was locked. We couldn't even take pictures of the outside. I want to go back some day!

My 4th grade project was based on this mission! 😇

Similar to a beautiful church I visited while on vacation in Aruba.

Just subscribed. Love your channel. It is popular to hate California, but hating a state is a form of insanity. Regardless of what the haters say, California is one of the most beautiful, most energizing places on earth. Ty for exploring the less-traveled locations.

Wow! Very quiet and relaxing. History is history and this reminds me of the Mission Monument at Tumacacori South of Tucson, Arizona. It's semi restored and maintained and it's quite and relaxing there, with similar architecture. Fra. Junipero Sera and Fra. Kino (spelling I know, don't flame me!) Were contemporaries. Both men following the waters with the trails... Here Fra.Kino following the Santa Cruz River, North from Nuevo España(Mejico/Mexico). I need to visit this Mission, and several others on the Mission Trail there in California. Thanks Steve!

BEAUTIFUL MISSION

Great video about an amazing place, the most peaceful mission in CA

I have enjoyed doing historical programs at Mission San Antonio. I understand the olive tree in front of the church dates to the 1830s. We have done early California dances by its watchful branches. Makes you feel very connected to the past.

Really great video. Just went to this mission today.

Outstanding...

I want to learn thank you for posting this.

Thanks for the video. Well done. It is by far my favorite mission. It really feels like you have gone back in time when you are there. The surrounding area is so pretty. It is hard to believe you are on a military base. You could easily do a video on the base since it has an interesting history. I really hope that if they ever close the base that they will make it into a state or federal park.

Thank you for the video. I love learning more about the history of California. It's a beautiful complex in a beautiful place.

Nice one! Thank you!

Gracias Amigo Steve. An episode on your family history in America might be OK.

Another good video!

A very large cemetery area considering how remote the Mission is. Too bad the Mission isn't used or used much. It's nicely redone and very welcoming. I hope it stays that way and doesn't fall back into disrepair.

Since St. Anthony of Padua is my favorite saint, I really enjoyed this visit to the most forgotten mission.

Great video! I'll definitely have to come here one day. It's also very funny how this is the second video of yours I've found randomly haha!

The music romanticizes the true horror of the conditions of slavery and torture at the missions. If you visit, think of it as a prison camp where thousands died horribly. My family was forced into missions from Santa Barbara to Mission Dolores. It’s a true miracle that we exist today. Some tribes were not so lucky. So have respect and compassion when you visit. And please stay out of our cemeteries. They are not for everyone.

Another great documentary, thanks for posting. Based on your previous video of In and Out my wife and I visited it last week and totally enjoyed it ☺️ Thanks for coming up with great ideas for us.

I truly enjoy you videos, great job and thanks for enriching my life.

Visited about 35 years ago. Would have had perfect photo shot except some guy parked his Toyota next to the mission. The priest there let me in to the building even though it was closed. That was very kind of him.

Whoa this is amazing!

Great History info , Also great background music

Again thank you very much for an excellent video. My wife and I had I have included all of the California mission in our bucket list. I don't know if you are aware of the Mission de San Antonio de Pala near San Diego. I haven't gone there but it is considered mission.

Great narrating

I did my archaeological field school here way back in 2002! We excavated a room that was part of the dorm for married Salinans. (After the children reached a certain age, they were taken away to be housed in separate dorms-- one for the boys, one for the girls.) I still remember us finding a plate with a bottle of wine placed next to it-- the last meal ever eaten in that room, most likely! Hm, I wonder if the arrowhead I found is still in that museum.

I remember going to a Fiesta there some time in the 1990s and seeing the choir director from our church in Castroville there too. My wife and I visited all 21 and this was definitely one of the most peaceful ones. I also remember at the Fiesta, going to the cemetery and my dad asking if I thought the skeletons would get up and dance for us

Really enjoying your videos! Learning a lot. Thanks for doing these 👍

Fantastic mini-tour.

Another great video! Theres so much here in Texas y'all would love.

Great video. I was there last year. I'm retired military so I stayed on the fort the prior night. It was still clossed due to Covid

We used to live not far from the mission.

The name of this lost mission is close to the first Spanish mission in San Antonio that being San Antonio de Valero otherwise known as the Alamo because of the proximity of cottonwood trees. It was also founded by a priest named St Anthony though not from Padua, Italy. By the time of the battle for Texas independence, the mission had been closed for nearly 75 years. The current roof line was installed by the US Army in approximately 1849.

Wow so cool !

Thank you for this video

So cool! I stopped there in November '22 while touring all 21 missions and it's the one I couldn't even approach (Covid). Interesting that it was the third mission yet remained so, seemingly, isolated. I had never visited one of the 21 before and after seeing them all, at least from the outside, heading northward it was very strange to access it via the military installation, while they were doing exercises, seeing large paratrooper (?) planes landing.

The wife and I started visiting the missions together when we were dating, 20’years and 2 kids later we are still trying to visit them all, we have a few more left including this one.

I think it needs to be pointed out that it was the Spanish military which always accompanied and supervised the missionaries and their work who took the heavy handed subjugated approach with the natives. New Spain, what we now know as Mexico, extended north in California encompassing everything south of and including what is now Sonoma County. Father Serra walked, yes walked, from mission Carmel all the way to Mexico City, what was then the Capitol of New Spain, to ask the Governor for and secure better treatment of the natives.

There was a dam and an aqueduct leading to a water wheel hooked up to a grain grinder which is still at the Mission. Decades ago the aqueduct was still in reasonably good unrestored condition, even had some standing Roman-like bridges over gullies. Have to show driver license and proof of insurance to get through the base. Unfortunately it is likely by now that Rosario the Mission Cat has passed on. Hopefully he was busy and his descendants are around.

I never heard of this one before.

Nice Thx

fascinating-thanks

Great video!

Awesome

Interesting because Saint Anthony is the patron saint of lost people and finding things. Also, it is said the missions in California are spaced one days walk apart.

Epic views 🔥👏

I'd love to visit them all one day. True,, as if time capsules. If wasn't a fortress, lying about the relationship with the local Indian population.

Thank you - great video

Just down the street from me !

nice

Who owns the Mission now ?

Very very deeply tied to the history of my Faith

Padua not podua lol stills great video

Omg I tried going last year and after the long drive, it was closed! Ughhhhh

I have a rule that I observe, and that is not judging those in history based on modern understanding and values. They did not have our understanding, nor our values. It's was a hard life where their lives could be snuffed out at any given time. Here, Europe, Africa, Asia or anywhere. That goes for white, black and brown people. As we became prosperous, we became more enlightened. A good thing.

It's beautiful mission but has a dark history of human rights abuse of the native Indians.

People probably mistake the missions for a "La Quinta Inn."

Early christians weren't very christian

Pah-doo-ah

Catholic enslavement of native peopled is not cultural history. It is atrocity. I weep to think that people who look like me caused so much suffering to this land and its people.

The pain of the native American culture and the White men went BOTH ways. So many Whites were murdered, and not counted; forgotten now forever. Yet no one cares about them! No one grieves FOR BOTH SIDES. The whole saga has played out in over 400 years now. So name blaming is not real accurate anymore. Both sides have sad stories to tell. Steve. 💋💋💋💋

this mission was known as junipero serra's "home mission". there was reportedly a pear tree at the misson with pears larger than grapefruits. since they didn't know how to graft fruit trees back then the tree's genes have been lost forever. this mission and the san antonio valley was also the location of john steinbeck's little known masterpiece 'to a god unknown'. this was his deepest and most spiritual book. the book chronicles mission life and native american interaction with the mission. it also has the first reference to a counterculture in big sur. until the 1930's the only access to the southern big sur coast was a formerly native american trail that came through this area, which is now known as naciemento road. the plaque he shows about the first wedding in california is between a spaniard (mexican) and a salinan indian woman. the missionaries at san antonio de padua used the local natives for labor and interbred with them instead of killing them like the americans. many of the indians ran back into the big sur mountains not liking the mission life. the san antonio valley is full of native american grinding mortar sites and former indian villages. the area had year round fresh water, tons of oak trees for acorns and pinon pine trees for pine nuts.

I didn’t know we could film in the missions 🥲 I was planning on filming them all for my channel, but always saw the “no filming sign” at each mission I went to 😭