Browse Items (19 total)

In 1812 the Spanish government sent an extensive questionnaire to learn about the local culture and society of its colonies. In 1814 Mission Santa Clara responded to this important document revealing significant information about the beliefs,…

An image of a classical Thamien hut characteristic of the time when they were still residing in the land where Santa Clara University still stands.

Indians, working the Missions of the Spanish settlers of the Americas

Many of the baptismal manuscripts make a distinction between solemn baptisms and private baptisms. Solemn (now known as public) baptisms were likely regular baptisms where the Thamien individual willingly accepted the rite. Private baptisms were…

How distinct language boundaries discovered by late 20th century linguists (left) have come to define the modern categorizations of smaller tribes (right) that historically have been collectively called the Ohlone People.

Photo by painter and photographer Mrs. Alice Iola Hare (1857-1926). According to Father Arthur Spearman this Indian "choza" or hut was part of Mission Santa Clara's third site (1784-1818). The Indian home was built of "adobe, ladrillo (brick)…

Report prepared by missionaries Thomás de la Peña and Joseph Antonio Murguía for Fray Junípero Serra in December of 1777, the year that Mission Santa Clara was founded. The report consists of a detailed description of the first Mission Santa Clara…

This document, which consists of 15 articles, is the plan formulated by the Mexican Congress in 1833 to secularize the California missions. It stipulates, among other things, that the mission churches would become parishes, and that the friars would…

Ohlone Indians in a Tule Boat in the San Francisco Bay 1822, by Louis Choris

Two Ohlone men hunting. Painted by Louis Choris.