The List of Spanish missions in California comprises all of the Catholic missions and military outposts established between 1769 and 1823. The missions were built under the auspices of the Franciscan Order to spread Christianity to local Native Americans.
HISTORY--MISSION PERIOD, RANCHO PERIOD, CALIFORNIA PERIOD
ARCHITECTURE
PRESENT DAY
The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the
Pacific Coast region, and gave Spain a valuable toehold in the frontier land. The settlers introduced European livestock, fruits, vegetables, cattle, horses and ranching into the
California region; however, the Spanish occupation of California also brought with it serious negative consequences to the Native American populations with whom the missionaries came in contact. The government of Mexico shut down the missions in the 1830s. In the end, the mission had mixed results in its objective to convert, educate, and "civilize" the indigenous population and transforming the natives into Spanish colonial citizens. Today, the missions are among the state's oldest structures and the most-visited historic monuments.
To facilitate overland travel, the mission settlements were situated approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) apart, so that they were separated by one day's long ride on horseback (or three days on foot) along the 600-mile (966-kilometer) long "California Mission Trail." Father Lasuén is credited for having brought the concept to life in 1798 when he successfully argued that filling in the "spaces" along El Camino Real with additional outposts would provide much-needed rest stops, where travelers could take lodging in relative safety and comfort. [1] Heavy freight movement was practical only via water. Tradition has it that the padres sprinkled mustard seeds along the trail in order to mark it with bright yellow flowers. [2]
Missions and outposts
| Name | Date | Location | Image | Current use / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Pedro y San Pablo Asistencia | 1786 |
Pacifica 37°35′14″N 122°29′36″W / 37.58722°N 122.49333°W |
|
Museum |
| Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia | 1787 |
Santa Margarita = 35°24′2″N 120°36′44″W / 35.40056°N 120.61222°W |
|
Unknown |
| Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles Asistencia | 1784 |
Los Angeles 34°03′26″N 118°14′23″W / 34.0572°N 118.2396°W |
Nonextant | |
| Santa Ysabel Asistencia | 1818 |
Santa Ysabel 33°7′49″N 116°40′41″W / 33.13028°N 116.67806°W |
|
Chapel / museum |
| San Antonio de Pala Asistencia (Pala Mission) | 1816 |
Pala Indian Reservation 33°21′40″N 117°04′45″W / 33.36111°N 117.07917°W |
|
Parish church / museum |
| Name | Date | Location | Image | Current use / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino de Sena Estancia | 1819 |
Redlands 34°02′40″N 117°13′15″W / 34.04444°N 117.22083°W |
|
Museum |
| Santa Ana Estancia (Costa Mesa Estancia) | 1817 |
Costa Mesa 33°40′23″N 117°56′13″W / 33.67306°N 117.93694°W |
Museum | |
| Las Flores Estancia (Las Flores Asistencia) | 1823 |
Camp Pendleton 33°17′59.81″N 117°27′39.84″W / 33.2999472°N 117.4610667°W |
|
Boy Scout Camp |
References
- ^ Yenne, p. 132; also, per Bennett 1897b, p. 152: "With the ten missions first established, the occupation of Alta California may be said to have been completed...They were, however, at wide distances apart, and for the sake of mutual protection and accessibility, as well as for the better conducting of the work of spiritual subjugation of all the Indians, it was necessary that the intervening spaces be settled by additional missions. It was accordingly ordered by the Mexican viceroy, the Marquis de Branciforte, that five new missions should be established, to be placed on lines of travel as near as might be between the existing missions..."
- ^ Markham, p. 79; Riesenberg, p. 260
External links
- California Missions Foundation
- California Mission Studies Association
- California's Spanish Missions
- Library of Congress: American Memory Project: Early California History, The Missions
- Tricia Anne Weber: The Spanish Missions of California
- California Historical Society
- National Register of Historic Places: Early History of the California Coast: List of Sites
- California Mission Sketches by Henry Miller, 1856 and Finding Aid to the Documents relating to Missions of the Californias : typescript, 1768-1802 at The Bancroft Library
