The San Andreas Fault intersects this little town, providing residents with a few minor tremors and a topic of speculation, but little worry; most of the buildings have been standing more than 150 years. San Juan Bautista began in 1797 with the Spanish mission. The town that spread around the mission prospered as a center of cattle ranching and commerce from a nearby lode of quicksilver. However, in 1870 the Southern Pacific Railroad ran the region's first tracks through a nearby town and San Juan Bautista began to decline. Today, tourists and artists contribute to the economy of the town.