San Luis Rey Mission field trip, Oceanside

I went to the San Luis Rey Mission with Molly and Marina on a school field trip.  It was really neat to go with the class because we had a speaker at the field trip which really gave us a lot of information on the mission and the history of California. The Spanish actually build the Mission.  Then the Mexicans drove the Spanish out of California.  The Mission was empty for 60 years.  Then the United States drove the Mexicans out of California.  Shortly before being assassinated, President Lincoln gave the mission back to the church.  I also learned that there were soldier barracks on the grounds where the Spanish soldiers and their families lived at the mission. U.S. troops wer also stationed there during the Mexican-American War.  There was also a Lavenderia or a laundry where Mission reisdents bathed and washed their clothes.  There was also an outdoor kiln where tiles and bricks were fired to build the Mission.  Because we were part of a group, we got to go into the gardens.  We saw the first Pepper Tree in California.  We also got to see a model of the Mission.  The teacher, Mr. Cohen showed a secret place which is part of the school on the property where there is a fish pond with fish and turtles and a statue of St. Francis of Assisi