Father Rinaldi's Foundation of 1856 - Shasta, CA
N 40° 35.592 W 122° 29.315
10T E 543274 N 4493725
This historical landmark is located in Shasta in a quiet neighborhood, just off the main highway.
Waymark Code: WMP83M
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 07/17/2015
Views: 5
Mounted on a stone foundation at the corner of Red Bluff and High Street is a bronze plaque noting this site as a historical landmark. It reads:
| REGISTERED STATE HISTORICAL LANDMARK NO. 483 FOUNDATION OF CATHOLIC BASILICA CORNERSTONE LAID ON MAY 1857
BY
ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH ALEMANY O.P.REV. RAPHAEL RINALDI, PASTOR |
The California Office of Historical Preservation website goes on to read:
In the summer of 1853 Archbishop Alemany of San Francisco sent Father Florian Schwenninger to take over the mission of Shasta County. In the later part of 1853 a small wooden church was built. In 1855 Father Schwenninger moved over to Weaverville and Shasta's new priest, Father Raphael Rinaldi, decided to build a structure of cut stone to replace the small wooden church that had served since 1853. In 1857 the cornerstone of the church was laid, but for some reason its walls never rose, the foundation can still be seen (1963).
I tried to obtain any info I could online regarding why this church was never built but found nothing. I'm very amazed this foundation has survived for over 160 years with little to no nearby construction.
Our family just happened upon this plaque by sheer luck while we were passing through the neighborhood on our way to the Masonic cemetery not far from here. We didn't even realize that it was an official state marker until going through our trip photos from February. :)