Pala Mission – 208 years of history

Traveling east on California SR-76, the scent of wild grasses and an occasional whiff of flowers drift through my open windows. The winding road is lined by trees, including sycamore and pepper trees. An eagle passes overhead.

My destination is Mission San Antonio de Pala, or Pala Mission, which is located on the Pala Band of Mission Indians Reservation. The majority of the members are Luiseño and Cupeño. Pala Mission is the only California mission that actively ministers to the Indigenous people for whom it was built.

Pala Mission was founded by Padre Antonio Peyri as an "asistencia" or sub-m...