The old olive mill in front of the Mission San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, ca.1885

Photograph of the old olive mill in front of the Mission San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, California, ca.1885. The mill consists of a basin with a post jutting from its center. A horizontal bar is attached to the post and is being held up by two tree branches. A (stone?) wheel lies slanted inside the basin. Nearby lies another wheel (wooden?). Young trees and sprouts of vines and bushes are scattered across the open space in front of the mission. Surrounding the mission are the corridors (or arcade). The corridors and the mission buildings are in dilapidated condition. Picture file card reads: "Old Olive Mill erected in 1880 by orders of Padre Jose Mut by his helper Don Ramon Yorba II. Ruins of cuartel to left and of quaint polzolera chimney in background. One of these posts of the olive mill later sprouted and became the smaller of the two old pepper trees in front of the mission."