Title:
Angel of the Lost Bells statue and sign in Santa Ysabel, CA
Creator:
Eloise Perkins
Subject:
Angel of the Lost Bells
Santa Ysabel Indian Reservation (Calif.)
Mission San Diego de Alcala
Mystery
Bells
Description:
Santa Ysabel Indian Mission began as an asistencia for Mission San Diego de Alcala in 1818 and was dedicated to Saint Elizabeth,
Queen Isabel of Portugal. The asistencia was a success and enjoyed a high degree of conversion until the secularization period
where the mission was used for Rancho Santa Ysabel. In 1901 the mission land was returned to the Catholic Church and the
mission reorganized. Today Santa Ysabel Indian Mission is known for the Mystery of the Bells. In 1926 the mission’s two
bells, the oldest bells in California, made in 1723 and 1767, disappeared without a trace and for 40 years sightings were
reported, but the bells never turned up. In 1966 pieces of the bells were returned to the mission by the decedents of those
who stole them. The thieves apparently believed that the bells were made up of a high amount of gold and wished to melt them
down for the gold. When they discovered that the bells in fact did not contain gold they kept the pieces hidden and their
families kept their secret until their deaths The Angel seen here is an original carving by Stephen. Berardi and was inspired
by the story of the lost bells.
Publisher:
Escondido Public Library Pioneer Room
Date:
Undated; circa 1960s
Type:
Image
Format:
8X10 B/W Photograph
Identifier:
CESC_122
1056
Coverage:
Santa Ysabel (Calif.)
Rights:
Copyrighted
Some materials in these collections are protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction
of some materials may be restricted by terms of gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights,
li
Escondido Public Library Pioneer Room
247 S. Kalmia Street, Escondido, CA 92025 Phone: 760-839-4315