The history of my family in the United States begins in the late 1800s, with my great, great, great grandfather and his wife who came to the United States from Poland. 

They opened a hotel in San Juan Capistrano called The Mendelson Inn, which was located right across from the mission and was conveniently between Los Angeles and San Diego. The Mendelson Inn was home to three generations of the Mendelson family, one of which was my great grandfather "Pop." This newspaper article is of Pop being posed while holding a book of his family's legacy, celebrating becoming San Juan Capistrano's town patriarch.  

I chose this photograph because Pop's family legacy did not stop after he became the patriarch. Today, there is a park where the hotel used to be dedicated to the legacy his family left. Most of my family still lives in Orange County and have very close relationships to each other, to which I owe to my great grandfather. 

San Juan Capistrano holds strong to my families hearts. One of my grandfathers favorite restaurants (which is right across the street from where the hotel was, and is still open today) has been where my family has celebrated wedding anniversaries, funerals, and most recently my own wedding. San Juan Capistrano is my families first home in the United States, and I want to continue that legacy for my own family. 

– Kylie Sutton

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more