The Restoration

Some of the interesting facts about the restoration:

* During the excavation, many of the original floor tiles and alot of the
original stone foundation were discovered. The original stairs for the
church had been covered with dirt; it was decided to protect the old steps
with a layer of brick to preserve them.

(Click to enlarge)

* In order to rebuild the church 150,000 adobe bricks needed to be used;
adobe bricks were made using the same material and shaped the same; but to
strengthen them, asphalt was added to the mixture.

* Old building methods were used as much as possible. Nail heads were
flattened to simulate the square headed nails used in the original
construction. Under the roof, branches were tied together with rawhide
strips. Timbers bound with rawhide thongs are displayed in the museum.

*The huge wooden ceiling beam was hand smoothed. It is made of redwood.

* The bell tower has four bells. All of the bells are original. Three of
the bells were actually used until 1970 when the wooden tower holding them
became unsafe. The bells were stored until 1984 when they were rehung. The
fourth bell fell and broke in the 1868 earthquake. After it was fixed, it
was used by a church in Oakland but it was returned to its place at the
Mission.

(the drawing was done by Carrie H.)

* The original copper baptismal font is still in the church. It escaped
being destroyed in the earthquake. The font sits on a wooden stand. Both
the font and the stand were decorated by the famous Mexican artist
Augustin Davila.

* The earthquake destroyed the church and its artwork. The walls were
decorated with marble columns, pillars and balconies. After much research
the wall decorations were repainted in Davila's style.

Click to expand

* A piece of the railing was pulled from the earthquake debris and can be
seen in the museum. The hand carved railing seen in the front of the
sanctuary was copied from the design of that rescued piece of wood.

* There are two side alters. One holds the statue of Saint Bonaventura. It
was carved in the early 1800's. It, too, was rescued from the badly damaged
church.

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