SAN JUAN Experience


San Juan Capistrano is a community grounded in nature and the histories of its people—one filled with a faithful cultural pride and an unwavering passion for preservation.


Synonymous with the Fran- ciscan-order Mission San Juan Capistrano and the swallows that return here each year, San Juan is equally indistinguishable from its surroundings, its open space and its ever-growing equestrian community. San Juan’s residents and lead-


ers are committed to protecting the region’s natural resource, leaving much of the city’s 14.1 square miles untouched. The city was formed in 1961 with just over 1,100 residents and big plans for urbanization. A decade later, the city’s goals shifted directions. Maintaining San Juan’s village- like character, preserving cultural resources and protecting sur- rounding rural lands took priority over vast development. Today, San Juan’s landscape is nearly 50 percent open space. With more than 43 miles of multi- use trails, 26 community parks, 13 horse stables, six sports parks, two private golf courses and a world-class equisports center, San Juan is an outdoor adven- turers’ playground waiting to be explored by foot, bike or horse.


PASSING ON TRADITIONS The city’s equestrian his-


AN EQUESTRIAN FRONTIER


12 SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS DIRECTORY & VISITOR GUIDE VISITSJC.COM


tory dates back to its early cattle ranching days. In the late 1800s, Irish immigrants James Flood and Richard O’Neill, Sr. began a cattle ranch that endures today—Rancho Mission Viejo, the last working ranch of its kind in Orange County. Both then and now, the region’s mild climate and expansive landscape, made San Juan Capistrano the idyllic setting for California’s cowboy. Over the years much has changed, but the people of San Juan Capistrano have remained unwavering protectors of their history and character—a central feature of this town that has al- lowed the equestrian community to prosper. Like many in San Juan, Dana Smith has lived her life around


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