The year 1850 was a landmark year for California and Santa Clara. California's inauguration as the 31st State in the Union defined the separation of the period of Spanish/Mexican influence from that of the American influence on the lives of the inhabitants of Santa Clara. Quickly, additional significant changes were to occur. One year later, events even then in the making would see the establishment of the College of Santa Clara at the mission compound and two years later would lead to the incorporation of the once mission land as the new Town of Santa Clara.

As the upcoming decade progressed, even more changes would result in as complete a transformation of the physical landscape, as the events of the previous 70 years had resulted in the transformation of the faces of Santa Clara's inhabitants. Bayard Taylor had visited Santa Clara during his tour of California in 1849, commenting on what he saw. In 1859 he returned and described in his "New Pictures from California" the striking difference ten years of growth had made, writing:

A further drive...brought us to Santa Clara. The old...Mission with its long adobe walls, tiled roof, quaint...church, and orchards hedged with the fruit bearing cactus, were the same as ever; but beyond them, on all sides extended a checkerwork of new streets---brick stores, churches, smiling cottages, in the midst of gardens and orchards... The old avenue of trees still connects Santa Clara with San José; but as we drove along it, I looked in vain for the open plain covered with its growth of wild mustard.

The arrival of Christmas in December 1850 saw the celebration of an age-old ritual in the newest state of the Union. And perhaps, those attending Christmas mass in Santa Clara's old mission church, if they listened closely, heard the soft echo of native voices, from days gone by, raised in timeless prayer:

Appa macréne mé saura saraahtiga eleepuhmen imragat, sacan macréne mensaraah assueiy nouman ourun macari pireca numa ban saraathiga poluma macréne souhaii naltis anat macréne neéna, ia aunnanit macréne nieena, ia annait macr_e macree équetr maccarí noumabaú macre annan, nou maroté jassemper macréne in eckoué tamouniri innam tattahné, ieatrarca oniet macréne equets naccaritkoun och a Jésus. **

** Note: The Lord's Prayer in the Costanoan (Ohlone) language as spoken at Mission Santa Clara.