Historic California Mission San Miguel in danger of collapsing

Published: 2006-06-20

NORTH HAVEN, Conn. (CNS) -- If repairs aren't made soon to Mission San Miguel Arcangel in San Miguel, Calif., near Monterey, more than 200 years of history may end up as a pile of adobe rubble. "San Miguel is the last mission with original Indian artwork on the walls," and it is "in dire need of repair," said John Fowler, project manager at Mission San Miguel in a telephone interview with the National Catholic Register, a national Catholic newspaper based in North Haven. Mission San Miguel was founded in 1797 by Franciscan Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen, who followed Blessed Junipero Serra in establishing the California missions. The original building was destroyed by fire and rebuilt between 1816 and 1818. The mission withstood the test of time until Dec. 22, 2003, when the 6.5-magnitude San Simeon earthquake nearly knocked it over. Though Congress in 2004 approved $10 million for the restoration of the California missions -- much of which would have gone to Mission San Miguel -- a lawsuit prevented the money from being allocated.

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