Mission Aqueduct -- Mission San Gabriel Archangel, San Gabriel CA
N 34° 05.832 W 118° 06.414
11S E 397894 N 3773486
The Mission San Gabriel aqueduct designed by the Franciscan friars and built by Indian labor, inside the Mission walls
Waymark Code: WMQWR9
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 04/07/2016
Views: 6
Very little of the old aqueduct is above ground, but two signs at a mysterious structure inside the Mission walls in the garden explain how the aqueduct supported the Mission.
The sign on the actual aqueduct fountain itself reads as follows:
"THE AQUEDUCT
In the early days of the Mission, the only water supply came from Wilson Lake.
Crudely built clay pipes brought the water from the open ditch to the Aqueduct. From here, the water was piped to the tannery and to the Kitchen on the Mission grounds.
Such engineering skill is displayed in the building of this water system, and it was from these crude beginnings that the desert land was made to bring forth an abundance of fruit."
The aqueduct history sign nearby at the fire pits reads as follows:
"AQUEDUCT
Waters flowing from canyons of Mount Wilson meandered southward through Lake Vineyard (now Lacy Park), to San Pasqual Creek, then called LA ZANJA, passing along in front of where stands the Old Mission San Gabriel. The Franciscans, with the Gabrileno Indians made CLAY PIPES, placing them underground, leading from the upper Zanja and into the AQUEDUCT -- to serve the Old Kitchen, to supply water to the tannery, for curing the hides, to irrigate vineyards, fields and orchards.
The five FIRE CIRCLES original and once held large IRON KETTLES, as such as the one seen here, wherein daily “POZOLE” or popcorn soup, was made over the fires. Upon the sounding of the “Angeles” bell at noon, and the prayer which it commanded, the Indians came to be fed.
The enormous CAULDRON is one of seven used in the early days, which would receive fat taken from the slaughtered cattle, then wheeled by “carreta” to the fire pits (the soap & candle vats) to be rendered. Then the hot cauldrons, one by one were lifted out by pulley and wheels to their respective workshops for CANDLE MAKING and SOAP MAKING."
Related website: [Web Link]
When was it built?: 01/01/1771
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