Joleen and Kemper contacted me 1 1/2 years ago. Kemper had been working abroad and wasn’t able to be in the USA until recently. These two have a wonderful relationship full of love and esteem towards one another. Joleen is from Lompoc and wanted to include as many of their family and friends as possible at their wedding. Their wedding was held at the La Purisima Mission in Lompoc. I was very excited to visit the mission as the only time I had ever stopped by was on a long bike ride and was in dire need of water…and I didn’t take the time to look around this historic landmark. I’m pasting below this post more information about the La Purisima Mission that I found on the official website.
Also, be sure to check out the video I created as I was doing the photography during the day (below).
“La Purisima Mission State Park
Founded in 1787, the La Purisima Mission land holdings once covered nearly 470 square miles. Bordered by the Santa Maria River in the North and the Gaviota coastline in the South, the land was home to the Chumash people and Spanish settlers. The mission was best known for its hides and blankets, and at its peak inhabitants herded as many as 24,000 cattle and sheep.
Today, history lives at La Purisima. The most extensively restored mission in the state, La Purisima hosts over 200,000 visitors each year for recreation and a chance to explore California’s heritage.
We are open nearly every day for self-guided tours, and frequently the park provides a re-creation of life here during the 1820’s, when the residents engaged in weaving, pottery making, candle making, blacksmithing, livestock production, and leatherwork.
In addition to the restored original buildings, the nearly 2,000 acre park is home to 25 miles of hiking trails, a modern Visitor Center and Exhibit Hall, and livestock.” (Source: http://www {dot} lapurisimamission.org/
