San Juan Capistrano - History
San Juan Capistrano is known as the birthplace of Orange County and home to some of its oldest traditions. San Juan Capistrano is home to the legend of the swallows. According to tradition, the swallows return to Capistrano on March 19th, St. Joseph's Day. They come from the Holy Land, carrying a twig in their beaks, which they drop into the ocean when they want to rest during their journey. As romantic as the legend sounds, it isn't true; ornithologists have tracked the birds to Argentina where they spend the winter, returning in the spring to raise their young.
The Mission of San Juan Capistrano has its own legend as well. The "Jewel of the Missions" has been the center of Orange County since its founding by Padre Junipero Serra in 1776. Today it is one of California's most important historical, educational, and cultural centers. The church was sold to a private citizen by Mexico, when it won its independence from Spain. In 1865, Abraham Lincoln returned the mission to the Catholic Church.
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