What are the California Missions?

The California Missions are a string of 21 Spanish missions, lying along a 600 mile stretch of coast from San Diego to Sonoma. They were California's first European settlements. Built between 1769 and 1823, their adobe walls, arched doorways, tile roofs and Mediterranean gardens had a lasting influence on California architecture. Fires, earthquakes, floods and disuse caused most to fall into ruin, but nearly all have been restored.

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Who was Father Junípero Serra?

Father Serra is well-known as the "Father of the Missions." His full name was Miguel José Serra. He was born in 1713 at Petra, Isla del Mallorca and died in 1784. He was a Spanish Roman Catholic missionary to North America.

He joined the Franciscans in 1730 and a year later began teaching philosophy under his Franciscan name of Junípero. In 1749 he was sent as a missionary to Mexico, where he worked among the Indians of the Sierra Gorda region and taught at San Fernando College, Mexico City.

In 1767, he was appointed superior of the California missions, and in 1769, on an expedition to Upper California, founded San Diego, the first mission in the present-day state. Over a period of years Serra founded many missions including San Carlos Borromeo (Carmel), San Gabriel, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco de Asis, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, San Buenaventura, San Juan Capistrano, San Diego, and San Antonio.

He was beatified in 1988.

A biography page for Father Serra

This is another good biography page for Father Serra

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Where are the California Missions?

The 21 missions are located in or near the following cities:

Carmel	San Fernando	San Gabriel	Jolon	San Rafael
Lompoc	San Francisco	San Juan Capistrano	Santa Clara	San Diego
Ventura	Santa Barbara	San Luis Obispo	Santa Cruz	Solvang
Soledad	Fremont	San Juan Bautista	San Miguel	Oceanside
Sonoma

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Founding order of the Missions

1	San Diego de Alcala, San Diego
2	San Carlos Borromeo del Rio de Carmel, Carmel
3	San Antonio de Padua, Jolon
4	San Gabriel Arcangel, San Gabriel
5	San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, San Luis Obispo
6	San Francisco de Asis, San Francisco
7	San Juan Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano
8	Santa Clara de Asis, Santa Clara
9	San Buenaventura, Ventura
10	Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara
11	La Purisima Concepcion, Lompoc
12	Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz
13	Nuestra Senora de la Soledad, Soledad
14	San Jose, Fremont
15	San Juan Bautista, San Juan Bautista
16	San Miguel Arcangel, San Miguel
17	San Fernando Rey de Espana, San Fernando
18	San Luis Rey, Oceanside
19	Santa Ines, Solvang
20	San Rafael Arcangel, San Rafael
21	San Francisco, Solano

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The California Missions Trail

Click on the first community to start the trail or choose one of them at random and then follow the trail along. You can always come back to the California Missions home page by clicking on the back button. Once you arrive at the community page, click on history in the index

Carmel
San Diego
San Juan Capistrano
Oceanside
Sonoma
Jolon near King City
Solvang
San Rafael
San Gabriel
San Luis Obispo
San Francisco
Santa Clara
Ventura
Santa Barbara
San Miguel
Fremont
Lompoc
San Fernando
San Juan Bautista
Soledad
Santa Cruz

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Other California Mission Links

California Missions Scholars
For the Study and Preservation of the California Missions, Presidios, Pueblos,
and Ranchos and Their Native American, Hispanic, and Early American Past.
This site has great and varied information, including pictures and many links

California Missions site
Student submitted reports and more about the California missions. "Field Trips" to various missions are also included with pictures.

A California Mission site with a large amount of information

California Missions Foundation

Information for all 21 California Missions

Another good site for Mission information both general and specific to individual missions

California Missions Almanac

California Mission Information

California Mission linformation

A California Missions site

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Key to the City Links

Return to the Footsteps of History home page to choose a new Trail to follow

Key to the City home page

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Noted Notables

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