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On a crisp wintry morning recently i treated myself to a leisurely stroll around the grounds of  Mission Santa Inés, admiring the distinctive architecture and magnificent views of the surrounding fields and mountains.

  California Missions have always fascinated me: their characteristic adobe with red tile roofs and beautiful bell towers, their interesting, complicated history and engaging art. We are lucky to have such an exceptional example right here in our own backyard. Mission Santa Inés is widely acknowledged to be one of the most beautiful and best restored of all the Missions.
  Even though it is situated right here in Solvang, as soon as I turned off Highway 246 (aka Mission Drive) and entered the grounds, it felt like I was deep in the country. Getting out of my car, I immediately caught sight of a long legged, tall blue heron  catching mice on the front lawn, ducking his head down and then bobbing up with a mouse dangling from his long, elegant beak. The hunting was so good that even my presence couldn’t drive him off. After filling his belly the heron unfurled impossibly long wings and sailed off towards the river with a slow, majestic beat.

  Behind the Mission buildings are the remains of a Mission-era Chumash Indian village. As I stood reading the historical markers, I imagined another time when the open field and remains of an elaborate water system were at the heart of a community bustling with activity in the shadow of the Mission.

  The large rose garden is asleep this time of year, but behind it there is a lovely shaded garden with Stations of the Cross and some of the best views of the mountains to be found anywhere.
  I sat on a bench for a while, hypnotized by the sight of a tractor plowing back and forth across the large field below, with the mountains soaring above.
  The peaceful scene belies the Mission’s rich and tumultuous history. Founded in 1804 as the 19th in a series of 21 missions strung out between San Diego and San Francisco, it was built by Father Estevan Tapis and local Chumash, who then lived and worked there developing its herds of thousands of cattle, hundreds of sheep and bountiful crops, including wine grapes. 
  The infrastructure included a grist mill for grinding grain and a fulling mill (the remains of which still exist)  for cleansing the wool which was then spun and woven into cloth. At one time there were also a blacksmith shop; pottery, weaving and basket-making facilities; and a soap factory.

  The Mission was destroyed in 1812 in a great earthquake and burned in 1824 in a rebellion against the depredations of Spanish soldiers. Both times it was rebuilt. Parts of the property were confiscated by the Mexican government and sold, then returned to the church by Abraham Lincoln when California became part of the United States.
  Both the buildings and art collections have been lovingly restored. Beautifully displayed pieces of the original adobe construction enhance the rich sense of history that makes Mission Santa Inés such a gem. After more than 200 years it is still a very active parish, and although it has an exceptional collection of paintings, statuary, vestments, manuscripts and artifacts, it is not just a museum. From festive quineaneras to packed childrens’ Christmas masses, the Mission is busy filling the needs of over 1300 families, with daily services in Spanish and English and seven every weekend. They also occasionally allow musicians to take advantage of the wonderful acoustics in the church, and the Story Telling Festival and Rancheros Visitadores hold events on the grounds every year.