Arrival of Great Rejoicing -- Mission San Gabriel the Archangel, San Gabriel CA - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

This sign is located on the south side of the mission, along the wall of the old Mission Church near the bronze de Anza Trail plaque on the wall of the church.

This sign reads in English as follows:

"ARRIVAL OF GREAT REJOICING

“Our arrival was one of great rejoicing for everyone. The missions card received us with salute of firearms and the [Fathers] . . . fid the same with many peelings that the bells.” Father Pedro Font, Anza expedition diarist, January 4, 1776

After a perilous desert crossing, 30 families rejoiced upon arriving to Mission San Gabriel on January 4, 1776. These men, women, and children were the first colonists to traavel overland to present-day California. A party their size was too large to emigrate by sea. Instead, the families crossed the Colorado River with the help of the Quechan people, only to face 239 miles of barren landscape and fierce desert snowstorms. The mission offered respite before the continued north to establish the first Spanish settlement at San Francisco."

The same text is placed in an adjacent column, but in Soanish.

Group that erected the marker: National Park Service URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: 428 S Mission St San Gabriel, CA

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Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   03/09/2016 Benchmark Blasterz visited it 05/31/2015 Metro2 visited it

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