Mission Hills Things to Do

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This park is adjacent to a regular park with picnic tables and many other facilities. This area is called the Memorial Gardens with a beautiful array of roses and two lovely fountains. Next to one of the fountains is a statue dedicated to Father Lasuen.

Facility Hours Of Operation:
Monday - Friday: Dawn to Dusk
Saturday: Dawn to Dusk
Sunday: Dawn to Dusk

California History Marker No. 150 BRAND PARK (MEMORY GARDEN) - Brand Park, also called Memory Garden, was given to the city for a park November 4, 1920. It is a part of the original land grant of Mission San Fernando de Rey de España, and the colorful and picturesque atmosphere of the early California missions is preserved in Memory Garden.

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The Romulo Pico Adobe is the oldest residence building in San Fernando Valley. The original part of the structure was built by Native Americans in 1847 and was located in the middle of the missions vineyards. Eulogio de Celis was sold much of the missions land, which back then was most of San Fernando Valley and the adobe of course was part of it. It was probably back then a storage facility since it was in the center of the vineyards and orchards. Eulogio built additions to this structure which included and ended up being the dinning room, library and the original part became the living room during his ownership. About half the land, which the adobe was located on, was sold to Andres Pico, but it sat vacant for 20 years. Once again it changed hands to Pio Pico in 1862. In 1873, Romulo Pico found it in decay and restored it and added even more additions such as a kitchen, two side wings and the second story. The Romulo Pico's family lived in it for many years until 1890. It eventually was sold many time and abandon and suffered such awful vandalisms. Then in 1930 it was saved again by Mark Raymond Harrington when he bought it from the family. In 1965 the city of Los Angeles purchased it, but suffered damage during the 1971 earthquake but it was repaired thankfully. Now the San Fernando Valley Historical Society now takes care of it and runs the museum.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places NPS# 66000211

California Historical Marker No. 362 RÓMULO PICO ADOBE (RANCHITO RÓMULO) - The oldest portion of the adobe was built about 1834 by ex-mission Indians. It was enlarged by Eulogio de Celís in 1846, and an upper story added by Rómulo Pico in 1874. The house was restored by Mr. and Mrs. M. R. Harrington in 1930.

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The Convento was thirteen years in construction and finally completed in 1822 and it boast twenty one Roman arches, four foot adobe walls and the original iron grilles. In addition to the artistically and authentically refurbished rooms, there is El Teatro de Fray Junipero Serra which offers visitors a choice of several historical films on early life at the old missions, through the benefaction of the Fritz Burns Foundation. It is the only original building of the mission and it is 243 feet long and 50 feet wide.

This building is also listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places NRHP# 88002147

California Historical Marker No. 157 MISSION SAN FERNANDO REY DE ESPAÑA - Mission San Fernando Rey de España was founded by Father Lasuén in September 8, 1797. A house belonging to Francisco Reyes, on Encino Rancho, furnished temporary shelter for the missionary in charge. An adobe chapel, built and blessed in December 1806, was damaged by the destructive earthquake of 1812 - a new church was completed in 1818.

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On July 22, 2005 the earthly remains of Leslie Townes "Bob Hope" were permanently entombed in the tiny cemetery adjoining the Church at San Fernando Mission. The Bob Hope Memorial Garden was solemnly inaugurated by Roger Cardinal Mahony on July 27, 2005 the second anniversary of Mr. Hope's demise.

In the history of our country there have been many heroes - men and women of all ages, shapes and sizes, of every race, religion and culture. The have been from every walk of life, some rich, some poor and some in-between. There are presidents and inventors, teachers and students, sports figures, song writers, soldiers, sailors and those who fly airplanes. Bob Hope was an entertainer and comedian who, through his comedy, uplifted and human spirit of the American public in every decade of the 20th century. He was star of stage and radio, movies, and television. His entertaining of men and women in service during wartime and peace - from World War II (1941) until he retired in 1996 is legendary. He was husband, fathers, and grandfather.

In October 1997, by act of Congress signed by President Clinton, Bob was made an "Honorary Veteran" - the first ever in the history of the United States.

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The blessed Junipero Serra, the proto Presidente of the California Missions, sculpted by Dale Smith and fabricated at the Studio America Foundry in memory of Eugenie B. Hannon, was dedicated on November 8th, 1992 by Father Noel Francis Moholy, O.F.M., Vice Postulator for the Serra Cause.

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This actually the fourth church built, but an exact replica of the earlier edifice erected between 1804 and 1806. Measuring 166 by 35 ft, its wall are seven feet thick at the base, tapering to five feet at the top. The interior furnishings were used in the earlier church. There were 3,188 baptisms, 2,449 burials, and 842 marriages at San Fernando between 1797 and 1846. The 16th century gold leafed reredos, a memorial to Eugenie Hannon, was installed in 1991. Pope John Paul II visited the church in September of 1987.

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A native of Vitoria, Spain, Lasuen served as Presidente of the California Missions for eighteen years. He is buried at San Carlos Borromeo Mission, Carmel. This beautiful mission became the seventeenth in the chain of outposts along Alt California's El Camino Real, was established by him 1736-1803 on September 8, 1797.

This wonderful statue is practically surrounded by the bushes, so you can easily just pass by it.

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The West Garden features rare and beautiful trees, an old wine vat, grinding stones, two bells from the Ezcaray Collection (cast in Spain and bearing the dates 1686 and 1720) and the Archival Center for the Archdioceses of Los Angeles.