AAA and Local Women's Club Restore Historic Trail Marker
22 March 1999
ADVISORY/AAA and Local Women's Club Restore Historic Trail Marker; Monterey Mission Bell To Be Unveiled at Special Ceremony
WHEN: March 20, 1999 -- 1 p.m.
WHERE: In front of the San Carlos Cathedral at 500 Church St.,
Monterey
WHAT: AAA and local Women's Club hosts special unveiling ceremony
for the Mission Bell Historic Trail Marker
WHO: A host of elected officials and dignitaries will participate
in the unveiling ceremony including: Dan Albert, Mayor of
Monterey; Marie Mungai, Manager Monterey AAA Office; Pablo
Wong, Manager AAA Community Affairs; Jeri Boone, President
of California Federation of Women's Clubs; Maureen Everett,
El Camino Real Bell Chairman.
WHY: In 1996, the California Federation of Women's Clubs (CFWC)
and AAA affiliates in Northern and Southern California began
a two-year project to replace Mission Bell Historic Trail
Markers along El Camino Real throughout California.
Conclusion of the project will occur in the year 2000 in
time for the festive California Sesquicentennial (150 year)
statehood celebration.
In 1906, the CFWC established the first bell trail marker
project placing the bells along El Camino Real as landmarks
linking the California missions. For a period of time, AAA
maintained the trail markers until they reverted back to the
State of California.
Background
El Camino Real Bell
In 1769, it was just a footpath begun by the Franciscans and led by Father Junipero Serra who was a deciding influence in establishing the Missions north from San Diego to Sonoma. Each Mission was situated in areas where large populations of Indians live and where the soil was fertile enough to sustain a settlement. As time progressed and more Missions were built, the footpath became a roadway wide enough to accommodate horses and wagons. It was, however, not until the last Mission in Sonoma was completed in 1823, that this little pathway became a real route called "El Camino Real -- The King's Highway."
Originally, the route started from Guatemala to Mexico and late in the 18th Century to San Diego and then on to Sonoma. In California, the Rancheros, the Indians and even the Padres used many close alternate routes going north so if one tries to retrace their steps, it is sometimes difficult to find traces of the original path since in some places, progress has eliminated this evidence.
Even so, the route varies only slightly from the original and in driving the distance from San Diego to Sonoma, one is taking the same road the Franciscans walked -- over 200 years ago.
The idea of placing a marker along the highway and in front of each Mission did not come about until 1906 when a cast iron 100 pound bell was designed with a holder made from a large pipe which was fashioned in the shape of a shepherd's staff and placed into the ground in concrete.
The bells were inscribed, "El Camino Real 1769-1906." The dates reflect the founding of the first Mission and the dedication of the first bell in Los Angeles.
The plan had been to place one bell along each mile of the El Camino Real Highway and also in front of each Mission. By 1913, a goal of 450 bells was reached. One bell was placed in front of each Mission and the balance were placed along the El Camino Real Highway.
The history of the El Camino Real Highway, the Bells, and the Missions are all a large part of our California heritage. The toll of the bell is a symbol of Father Serra and the Padres walking through the California mountainsides.
Timeline
Mission Bell Trail Markers on El Camino Real
(Highways 5, 72, 82 and 280)
1823 Route was established
1902 Federation of Women's Club and Native Daughters of Golden West
endorsed plan to preserve the route of El Camino Real.
1904 El Camino Real Association formed.
1906 Path determined for distinctive and appropriate post.
August 15, first mission bell trail marker placed at the Plaza
Church in Los Angeles, bell design was patented and copyrighted
by A.S.C. Forbes.
1913 Approximately, 450 bells were installed along 700 miles of the
Royal Road at a cost of $25 each.
1921 California State Automobile Association and Auto Club of
Southern California took over maintenance of bells.
1933 California Division of Highways assumed care of specified signs
on the state highways. Auto clubs no longer allowed to maintain
bells.
1957 Assemblyman Jack Schrade introduced bill to rename U.S. 101 from
San Diego to San Francisco as El Camino Real and to restore
bells; bill defeated.
1959 Survey of Los Angeles revealed only 17 of 110 bells left
standing.
Assembly Concurrent Resolution 52 (Schrade) requested Division
of Highways to resurrect all El Camino Real bells made
available to them.
Senate Bill 21 (Hollister) restored the name El Camino Real to
Highway 101 and called for erection of identifying signs. At
this time, there were more than 120 bells and staffs between
the border of Mexico and San Francisco.
1963 Justin Kramer agreed to make facsimiles of the original bells
for $25 each. Eighty-one bells were given to the Division of
Highways for replacements.
An original El Camino Real bell was given to the Island of
Majorca, Spain, birthplace of Father Serra, by a delegation from
California that included Chief Justice Earl Warren and Samuel
Yorty.
1996 California Federation of Women's Club (CFWC) decided to replace
or restore the bell trail markers along the original path of the
El Camino Real or a close proximity.
California State Automobile Association and Auto Club of
Southern California agree to sponsor the two year project of
restoring the hundreds of bell trail markers.
On July 12, the first bell ceremony takes place at the
University of Santa Clara. The trail marker is placed directly
in front of the Mission of Santa Clara.
1997 On June 22, a bell trail marker ceremony was held on the border
of California linking the 18 Missions in Baja California to the
21 Missions in Northern California, representing the original El
Camino Real pathway.
1998 160 Mission Bell Trail Markers were repaired or restored in 148
cities statewide.
