El Camino Real - San Juan Bautista, California - Wagon Roads and Trails on Waymarking.com

El Camino was the first road in Alta California, connecting the Spanish Missions and Presidios for foot and wagon traffic. Later, it became a stage coach route. This particular section heads down the bluff from the Mission plaza following a broad valley (along the path of the San Andreas Fault) northwards toward San Francisco.
There is a plaque which reads:
"EL CAMINO REAL
(The Kings Highway)
The above marker shows the direction of the road that
connected the 21 Missions. Expeditions left here to go
north to Mission Santa Clara or go south to the head-
quarters at Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo.
This road was used from 1797 to about 1850.
Erected by Boy Scout Troop 233 - Salinas, California, March 3, 1968
as qualification for the Historic Trails Award"

Road of Trail Name: El Camino Real State: CA County: San Benito Historical Significance: This is one section of the first road in CA, which over the years became the main state-long highway, connecting the cities which today hold at least sixty percent of California's population. How you discovered it: I noticed the sign at the edge of the Plaza Website Explination: "At one time there were seven stage lines operating through San Juan and up to eleven coaches arriving and departing daily. The bulk of the traffic was between San Francisco and Los Angeles, but San Juan was also on the main route between the San Benito Mountain quicksilver mines, Hollister, Watsonville, and Monterey." http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/563/files/SJBautistaEnglish.pdf Why?: Goods shipped from here in the colonial period included cattle hides and tallow. Later, livestock, grain, and produce from the San Juan valley fed San Francisco, while hay from Hollister fed the livery stables. Directions: The sign and the section of El Camino are at the north end of Mission Plaza Years in use: Not listed Book on Wagon Road or Trial: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   02/05/2019 Castor007 visited it 02/06/2015 leafyseadragon visited it 11/10/2014 Metro2 visited it 08/25/2012 jimnade visited it 04/22/2009 saopaulo1 visited it 04/06/2009 bluesnote visited it

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