Mary Hanel, who always gives great tours of Historic Santa Clara, has donated a Mission-neighborhood focused tour this year. In her words:
The walking tour would start at Mission Library, with history about the Library plus an emphasis on the significance of the park in which it is located. It was once the Mission Corral and then — when the town was founded — the Public Plaza. Other places we could visit include:
- the nearby Arguello House and talk about the Spanish-Mexican period
- the Methodist-supported University of the Pacific, founded in Santa Clara, which once had its Female Institute located quite near the park
- Santa Clara University, passing and commenting on St. Clare’s Church
- the deSaisset Museum and its lower floor which has history exhibits on the Native Americans who lived here first and artifacts from the early Mission period and the early days of the College
- the Santa Clara Mission, including the area behind the Mission around the Adobe Lodge and some of the old trees from Spain
- the Old Mission Garden puts us in sight of the Ricard Memorial Observatory which also has an interesting history.
This is a great way to learn more about the history of one of Santa Clara’s oldest neighborhoods. We’re excited to offer this tour for auction at Librarypalooza on February 2.