In 1967, SCU’s Archaeology Club reconstructed the tajona, and their work is still exhibited today outside of Ricard Observatory. After using a blowtorch to clean the silver Agnew discussed out of the eye, the students placed the tajona on a foundation built from stones used in various iterations of the Mission Santa Clara; these came from padre and soldier living quarters, as well as various church sites (At Santa Clara University 1967; Old Mill to be Rebuilt 1967). All of the stones used in the foundation were from buildings destroyed by fires in 1909 and 1926, respectively (Spearman n.d.). The bricks surrounding the tajona are pieces of adobe walls and roof tiles from the original Mission Santa Clara buildings (Old Mill to be Rebuilt 1967).
Where is it Now?
The tajona is mentioned as a “mill stone” in the Mission Church’s walking tour pamphlet. There is also a map behind the mission church that marks the locations of two mission-era millstones (along with various other significant artifacts), but neither source provides additional information about their purpose or history. Rather, they emphasize narratives of Catholic and colonial dominance, undermining histories of native struggle and dismissing the violence inflicted on native populations by missionaries.
