Local historian Eric Plunkett will discuss Junipero Serra in Orange County at the Orange County Historical Society’s September 10th, 2020 meeting at 7:30 p.m. online via Zoom.
Register here to RSVP for this online presentation: https://forms.gle/R297RVp16UWGg6NGA
Franciscan friar Junípero Serra y Ferrer (1713 –1784) led the effort to establish establishing the California Missions. He was a key figure in the development of Alta California and was canonized in 2015 but has become a controversial figure in some circles. Rioters recently tore down statues of Serra in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles. OCHS’ program is not intended to praise or condemn Serra, but simply to explain what he did while he was here.
Eric Plunkett is the leading authority today on Orange County’s Spanish and Mexican Eras. He recently spoke before OCHS on the subjects of Richard Henry Dana’s visit to Dana Point and Hippolyte Bouchard’s raid on San Juan Capistrano. He also co-authored OCHS’ recent book about the Portola Expedition’s trek through what’s now Orange County, and helped lead the Society’s day-long tour following the expeditions’ path.
He is currently nearing completion of a book on the subject of Junipero Serra’s experiences in what is now Orange County. His research has broken new ground, uncovering stories about Serra and early Southern California that had previously been unknown even to dedicated historians.