Out and About in Solvang: Mission Santa Ines

Yesterday you got to see the Danish side of Solvang. But what about the Spanish side? Well look no further than…well a couple of feet next to the main strip of the town. Before the Danes came to take over the Spanish had a strong foothold in the West and a lot of Missions/churches were formed. Mission Santa Ines was founded in 1804 and apart from some wear from natural causes & some Native American raids (Remember, the Chumash had dibs on this area first for being, you know, actually the first living in the area.) the Mission is still intact.

Out and About in Solvang

California is a huge place. I am sure this is not news to you. Since it is such a massive state sometimes things can fall through the crack. For example: Did you know there is an entire town dedicated to all things Danish? Apparently in 1911 a group of Danish settlers decided to plant their stakes in the Santa Ynez Valley. Of course they had to make sure a group of Native Americans, this time the Chumash, lost their claim to their land but eventually it was taken over by the Danes. So now, when you travel through the mountains of central California, you may stumble upon a small town that makes you think you’re in the middle of Denmark. Below is a series of highlights of what makes Solvang, California a truly bizarre place: