The Santa Barbara Presidio was both military headquarters and the government center for the entire region extending from San Luis Obispo to the pueblo of Los Angeles. The Presidio Chapel is a charming, historically-informed recreation of the chapel of the late 18th century Spanish Royal Presidio Only stone foundations remained of this building, but excavations and an in-depth study of all known documentary sources permitted the reconstruction of what the structure and its interior .
On Founders Day, April 21, a special mass is celebrated in the Presidio chapel. A member of the Santa Barbara Franciscan community presides over this mass. A reenactment of the raising of a cross by Fray Junipero Serra, assisted by one of the Spanish soldados takes place. In the First Book of Marriages for Mission San Gabriel is written, “The expedition to found the new Mission of San Buenaventura and the Presidio of Santa Barbara left San Gabriel 26 March 1782.” On 21 April 1782, the cross was raised, the flag was hoisted, and the Presidio of Santa Barbara was founded.
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