#0250 Old Sites of Mission Santa Clara de Asis and Old Spanish Bridge
Title
#0250 Old Sites of Mission Santa Clara de Asis and Old Spanish Bridge
Site information:
The site of the second location of the mission is at NE corner of Martin Ave and De la Cruz Blvd, Santa Clara37.366782,-121.941147
The first location, based on the inscription on the cross, was likely somewhere at the very north end of the San Jose Airport near De La Cruz Blvd. It is hard to pinpoint, even though the distances are given so precisely. Part of the reason is I am not sure what bridge 37-64 is. In any case, nothing remains at either site that I know of, nor does the Old Spanish Bridge, which I assume crossed the Guadalupe River somewhere north of the Airport.
Plaque information:
No plaque. There was a cross at the site memorializing the old mission, but it has been removed for political reasons.Cross text:
Second site 1779-1784 Mission Santa Clara de AsisOriginal site January 12, 1777 founded by the Franciscan fathers, 967 yards north, 334 yards south of Bayshore Highway Bridge No. 37-64
OHP description:
The first mission in this valley, Mission Santa Clara de Thamien, was established at this site by Franciscan Padres Tomás de la Peña and Joseph Antonio Marguia January 17, 1777. Here, at the Indian village of So-co-is-u-ka, they erected a cross and shelter for worship to bring Christianity to the Costanoan Indians.Registered 9/3/1937