Location Within California

II.

La Purisimas original location was in Lompoc, closer

to Mission Santa Barbara then it was after an earthquake
on the border of the central valley. The two missions La
Purisima is closest to are Mission Santa Barbara and
Mission San Luis Opisbo. After an earthquake La Purisima
was then relocated to the valley of Los Berros near the
canyon of Watercress in Lompoc, California.
Two important factors determine La Purisimas
current location. One, is water. Water was provided by
springs in hills three miles away and brought to the
mission by a complicated system of aqueducts, pipes
reservoirs, and dams.
Two, are earthquakes
1812, was known as The Year of Earthquakes because

there were two earthquakes that together destroyed the

mission. The first one only lasted about
four minutes, but still crumbled buildings. A few minutes
later, there was another earthquake that damaged the
mission, causing damage to many buildings. When the
earth finally stopped shaking, there was a serious
rainstorm. The exposed clay was washed away, destroying
any left of the surviving structures. The rain disturbed
earths fault causing pressure from the rainwater to crack
and burst out water. The water mixed in with the sand so,
it had a dark color. The mission Indians thought it was a
bad sign from the god of Chupu so many of them refused to
stay at La Purisima. Thats when father Payeras decided to
move La Purisima to a new location.