Where are the Ohlone now?

From 1770-1797, Spanish Catholics known as Franciscans, set up six missions in Ohlone territory. They sought to convert the Ohlone to their own beliefs and ways of living. They attracted the indians to the missions with gifts and the promise of establishing trade relationships. Once at the mission, the indians were not allowed to leave. Detachments of soldiers were stationed at each to force the indians to remain on the mission.

The mission period lasted from 1770 ....until 1834, a period of over 60 years, and damage to the Ohlone life was irrevocable...As tribelet after tribelet was decimated by disease and death, the networks of support and sharing disintegrated.

Few Ohlone survived the missions. Few of those survived the missions being turned over to the Mexican government in 1834. They could not return to their old ways nor could they continue to live in the missions.

" ...This establishment was founded in the year 1776, and, though in the early years the largest in the country, is now in a dilapidated state, and the Indians are much neglected. There yet remains the ruins of an immense church, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1812, when many Indians were buried in its fall. It still bears the appearance of having been one of the best finished structures of the country and the workmanship displayed in the sculpture upon its walls and its vaulted roof would command admiration in our own country. The arrangement of the mission of St. Juan is similar to that of St. Luis; in fact, all these establishments are formed upon the same plan, and much resemble each other, varying only by their extent and population. In many of the villiages the residences consist of straw huts of an oval form, which, when decayed, the Indians set on fire and erect new ones -- here, however, they are built of unburnt brick, tiled and whitewashed, forming five or six blocks, or streets, which present a neat and comfortable appearance. " -- David Robinson, circa 1848, Life In California page 20.