Spring 2026

and several original bells. Kolstad found he had enough to continue making new bells, and that led to a contract with Caltrans to produce replacement bells. “They are deliv- ered bright and shiny and quickly attain the patina we’re all used to seeing.” California Bell Company produces a range of bells, including replicas of the Mission Bells for sale to private individuals.The firm also forged the bell that hangs from the World War I memo- rial arch in the median of Ocean Avenue at the corner of San Carlos Street. More histor- ical information on the company is online at www.californiabell.com . This chapter of California history is not with- out controversy. Nathan Masters, host and pro- ducer of Lost L.A., an award-winning KCET series says, “The message implied by the pres- ence of the Mission Bells—that motorists’ tires trace the same path as the missionaries’ san- dals—is largely myth.”And Indigenous people of Alta California have been working for their removal, seeing them as unwelcome reminders of the harsh treatment their ancestors were subjected to by the missionaries. The last of three bells located in Santa Cruz was removed in 2020 by order of the city council after years of lobbying by members of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. In the 21st century, California’s unique Mission Bells mean different things to different people, and as such reflect the rich cultural diversity of the state. It’s true that they were created as a marketing scheme, a way to sell automobiles, the gasoline that powers them and indeed, the then-nascent hospitality industry as a whole. But they’ve become part of the fabric of everyday life in the nation’s most populous and prosperous state and are beloved by many, not for their controversy, but for their nostalgic nature and firm place in California history. (Above) Forbes putting finishing touches on a bell in her workshop. (Below) A postcard detailing the El Camino Real along with the 21 Spanish missions. The trail’s popularity helped spur interest in the mission buildings’ restoration. C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 6 131 Photo: Courtesy of CaliforniaBell.com Photo: Courtesy of Cardcow.com