San Juan Capistrano Community Info
San Juan Capistrano is the site of a Catholic mission for which it is named, Mission San Juan Capistrano. When the Mission was founded in 1776 by Padre Junipero Serra, the region was populated by the Acjachemen band of Native Americans, called Juaneños by the Spanish. The mission was named after the Franciscan saint Giovanni da Capistrano. The Mexican independence of 1821 brought a new era to San Juan Capistrano. A Secularization Act was passed in 1833 to divest Mission lands. Instead of going to Indians as envisioned, land grants more often went to political appointees. These land grants began the Rancho system of large ranches owned by a few powerful men and families. The American victory over Mexico in 1848 resulted in the acquisition of the territory of California and statehood two years later. San Juan’s location on the road to newly discovered gold fields in northern California led to rapid growth with homes, stores and a hotel being built. A number of board and batten homes were built next to Mission era adobes in the Los Rios area – the site of California’s oldest residential neighborhood. It is also the home of the oldest in-use building in California, the Serra Chapel in the Mission. The area was the site of both the first vineyard and first winery in California.
Intense development pressures in the early 1970s caused the citizens to create a new General Plan which preserved historic resources and open space, limited development density, and provided for preservation. These measures have proved to be years ahead of many California communities and have helped assure the perpetuation of San Juan Capistrano’s unique heritage.?
San Juan Capistrano is, of course, also known for its swallows. The protected birds are reputed to return from migration on St. Joseph’s Day (March 19) each year, a day celebrated by the city’s annual Swallows’ Day Parade. The swallows leave around the end of October. The classic song, written by Leon Rene, “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano”, is a love song centering on these annual events.
When I think of San Juan Capistrano, I think of history and charm. Los Rios Street is one of the sweetest streets you will ever see and is composed of small historic cottages built in the early 1900s. The mission’s church bells ring twice a day and can be heard for miles and miles. The city is rife with history and still has many small old ranches hidden up in the hills. Believe it or not, some excellent ocean views can be had from this city as it is adjacent to Dana Point which is on the ocean. San Juan Capistrano boasts some wonderful restaurants, several private schools as well as terrific Blue Ribbon public schools. One can often see horses on the many horse trails. This area recalls the tradition of the Old West. There are beautiful traditional family neighborhoods as well as gorgeous private gate-guarded communities such as The Hunt Club which is equestrian-zoned and Marbella which boasts its own golf course.?
San Juan Capistrano’s population was 33,826 at the 2000 census. The city is served by Capistrano Unified School District. For detailed school information, log on to the School District’s website at www.capousd.org.