Many Marines pass an important historic treasure on their daily commute to work and may not even know it. Along Campus Pendleton's Vandergrift Boulevard stand one of California many historic El Camino Real Bells that has been around long before any Marine or sailor occupied the land.
The bell symbolizes the trails use by the Franciscan Padres on the journey to Northern California from Mexico in the 1800's.
The Padres were Catholic priests sent by the King of Spain to convert Native American of California to Catholicism in order to become citizens of Spain. El Camino Real Spanish for "The Kings Highway " was the trail used by the Padres that begins in San Diego in what is know known as Presidio Park and end in Sonoma, California at Mission San Francisco de Solano. There are more than 500 bells along the historic road typically placed on both sides of the road approximately one to two miles apart if possible.
The bell on Camp Pendleton base stands where the trail crosses Vandegrift Boulevard just inland of the main gate. In 1963 the bell was dedicated to honor Marines for giving their lives in combat.
The bell was remounted to its proper height of 11 feet and painted the greenish color it is today in late 1999.
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