12/07/2025
On the day that lives in Infamy, Pearl Chase was a woman on a mission--at a mission. Mission La Purísima, which she had described as "...so destroyed, so decayed in appearance and in use during the latter part of the 19th century, it was considered a sort of disgrace to the country and the people who lived nearby." For years she spearheaded efforts to restore the historic mission, founded on December 8, 1787.
On December 7, 1941, the dedication of the restored La Purísima Mission was scheduled. Pearl drove to the site, prepared for the festivities. She was met at the gate by Charles Storke, son of News-Press publisher Thomas Storke. Charles had been selected to serve as chairman of the dedication ceremony. He greeted her, shocked and frightened by the news he had heard on the radio during the drive to the mission.
"Pearl, you'll havve to take over," he said. "The Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbor and I"ll have to go back as fast as I can and help get out a special edition of the paper."
She served as a stand-in, reflecting years later, "There was no change in the program or the speakers and I suggested that every speaker not discuss the bombing of Pearl Harbor."
PHOTOS from Dec. 7 1941:
TOP: Pearl at far left, along with dignitaries at the dedication luncheon of Mission La Purísima.
BOTTOM: (L) Dedication ceremony in the chapel; (R) WPA Workers restoring the Mission
~ from "A String of Pearls: Pearl Chase of Santa Barbara."
