San Juan Capistrano is the site of a Christian mission for which it is named, Mission San Juan Capistrano. When the Mission was founded in 1776, the region was populated by the Acjachemen band of Native Americans, called Juaneños by the Spanish. The mission was named after Giovanni da Capistrano (1386–1456), the Franciscan saint from Capestrano, in the Italian region of Abruzzo.

Giovanni da Capistrano, although raised to the sainthood by the Roman Catholic Church is documented by historical research by the Oxford University historian Norman Davies to have burnt to death more than 50 Jews in May 1453 in the Polish city of Wroclaw.

San Juan Capistrano is Orange County's oldest community. It's the birthplace of Orange County and home to its oldest traditions. It has its swallows, history, legends, storybook heroes, and beautiful archeological monuments.

Most of that history is wrapped up and epitomized by our living historic landmarks, the most beautiful and best known of the California missions, old Mission San Juan Capistrano-our mission! It belongs to all of us. It's our inheritance.

Famous Peoples From San Juan Capistrano

Anthony Cumia

Anthony Cumia (born April 26, 1961) is an American radio personality and broadcaster who is best known as the co-host, with Gregg "Opie" Hughes, of the Opie and Anthony radio show, which aired from 1995 to 2014; the show featured comedian Jim Norton beginning in 2001.

In 2014, Cumia was fired by SiriusXM Radio after posting a series of "racially-charged and hate-filled" tweets. He started his own video podcast soon after named The Anthony Cumia Show, which aired until September 2017, when he started The Artie and Anthony Show with comedian and actor Artie Lange. In May 2018, Lange left the show and was replaced by Dave Landau; the show's name reverted to The Anthony Cumia Show.

Cumia was born in Flushing, Queens, in 1961, into an Italian American family. He has an elder brother, Joe, and a younger sister, Dawn. The family lived in various locations on Long Island including Elwood and East Islip. Cumia attended Timber Point Elementary School in East Islip, followed by Elwood-John H. Glenn High School in Elwood. After his parents separated, Cumia spent his early teenage years living with his father in San Juan Capistrano, California.

Before he started his radio career, Cumia installed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. He wanted to get into radio, and was influenced by popular New York City personalities Howard Stern and Don Imus.

San Juan Capistrano Points of Interest

Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park
Los Rios Historic District
Zoomars at River Street Ranch