July 16, 1999
Presidio
Day Fiesta, Serra Museum, Presidio
Park Saturday, July 17th 10 am to 5 pm. Celebrate the 70th anniversary
of the founding of the Junipero Serra Museum by George W. Marston.
Commemorate the 230th anniversary of the founding of the first
of 21 missions in Alta California. At the site of the first European
settlement, founded by Father Serra, revisit the Native American
Kumeyaay, Spanish Colonial and Mexican eras of California's early
history. Photo was taken at the dedication ceremony, July 16,
1929.
Sample Spanish and Native American cuisine and watch demonstrations
of basket weaving, gourd decorating, ceramics, corn hust doll
and candle making. The Kumeyaay bird Singers, both adults and
children, will dance and sing and a Spanish dance troupe will
perform traditional Spanish dances. Be sure to see ‘The Faces
of Baja California,’ by Tijuana artist, Tatiana Favella.
The Serra Museum will be open to the public free of charge. Parking
is available above the Serra and in Caltrans lots located at Juan
and Taylor Streets, in Old Town.Historic Serra Museum to Undergo
Renovation.
Serra Museum, the landmark 1929 mission-style building located in Presidio Park high above Old Town State Historical Park, will temporarily close for renovations after Labor Day (September 7) through mid-October announced San Diego Historical Society Curator of Collections Jennifer Luksic. The San Diego Historical Society operates the Serra Museum.
According to Ms. Luksic, "When we reopen, the Serra's redesigned exhibit area will physically accommodate more visitors and be updated with the newest findings on early California life." The current exhibition presentation will be enhanced to include the political and economic lifestyles of that earlier time and their environmental impacts on the region. Artifacts showcased will span from Kumeyaay pottery shards dated 1000 A.D. through the Native American, Spanish and Mexican periods ending with Mexican earthenware dated in the 1880's.
The Serra Museum, constructed on the site of the first Spanish mission and adjoined by a fortified settlement which has undergone archaeological excavation in past years, marks the first European settlement on the West Coast, or Alta California as it is known to historians. Named after Father Junipero Serra, the museum celebrates the 70th anniversary of its dedication in July, and the 230th anniversary of Captain Gaspar de Portola's landing.
Commissioned by merchant and philanthropist George W. Marston, a founder of the Society and its first president, the museum served as the Society's first home, housing its collections and burgeoning Research Archives, until the Society relocated its headquarters to a larger facility in Balboa Park in 1982.
The Society's staff will be assisted in the renovation by United States International University graduate student Marjorie Cray, Dr. Lynne Christenson and some of her San Diego State University students, and the Founders Trail Association.
During the renovation, workshops and training sessions will be held to prepare docents and volunteers for their role in educating fourth grade students and the public about San Diego's role in regional history.
Anyone interested in becoming a docent at the Serra Museum or seeking more information about the Society and assisting in fulfilling its mission, please call (619) 232-6203 or visit our website at http://edweb.sdsu.edu/sdhs/.
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