California Missions
California’s Spanish Mission Period lasted from 1769 to 1834. During this time, Spain established 21 mission settlements in California, then part of "New Spain," effectively settling this part of the New World.
The missions are an important and significant part of California’s history. However, the mission system was deeply problematic—Spain’s purpose in establishing the missions was to dispossess indigenous peoples and colonize the New World. The Church’s purpose was to spread Christianity. Missionaries taught indigenous peoples how to grow crops, raise livestock, make wine, tan hides, cook, and sew. Under Spain's mission system, once the mission community became self-supporting, the missions and their acreage were to be turned back over to Native Americans, so they could live independently.
But they weren’t given a choice in the matter, were displaced from their lands and their ways of life, and were now considered Spanish subjects living under Spanish rule. Additionally, the spread of European diseases like measles, smallpox, and even the flu killed an estimated 90% of the indigenous population.
Each California mission is about 30 miles from the next—the idea was for the missions to be one day’s travel on horseback apart so travelers had a place to rest for the night. The Mission Trail stretches approximately 650 miles from San Diego to San Francisco. “The 21 missions that comprise California's Historic Mission Trail are all located on or near Highway 101, which roughly traces El Camino Real (The Royal Road) named in honor of the Spanish monarchy which financed the expeditions into California in the quest for empire.” (California Department of Parks and Recreation.)
The 21 missions are listed here in the order in which they were founded:
1. Mission San Diego de Alcala
San Diego - (1769)
2. Mission San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo
Carmel - (1770)
3. Mission San Antonio de Padua
Jolon - (1771)
4. Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
San Gabriel - (1771)
5. Mission San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo - (1772)
6. Mission San Francisco de Asís
San Francisco (1776)
7. Mission San Juan Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano (1776)
8. Mission Santa Clara de Asís
Santa Clara (1777)
9. Mission San Buenaventura
Ventura (1782)
10. Mission Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara (1786)
11. Mission La Purisíma Concepción
Lompoc (1787)
12. Mission Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz (1791)
13. Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
Soledad (1791)
14. Mission San José
Fremont (1797)
15. Mission San Juan Bautista
San Juan Bautista (1797)
16. Mission San Miguel de Arcángel
San Miguel (1797)
17. Mission San Fernando Rey de España
Mission Hills (1797)
18. Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
San Luis Rey (1798)
19. Mission Santa Inés
Solvang (1804)
20. Mission San Rafael Arcángel
San Rafael (1817)
21. Mission San Francisco de Solano
Sonoma (1823)