The Mission Pear:An Enduring Orchard Descendant at the Marin Art & Garden Center

摘要

Mission San Rafael Arcangel was founded in 1817, and its first pastor, Franciscan priest Father Gil Taboado, soon built a thriving agricultural community ministering to the native Indians. One of the mission's most highly prized harvests was fruit from a large pear orchard planted by Father Gil.By 1834, the extensive church holdings in Alta California, were broken into enormous tracts of land or ranchos and sold by the Mexican government. The San Rafael Mission was abandoned, but Father Gil's pear trees continued to bear fruit.