List of Spanish missions in California
The List of Spanish missions in California are a series of 21 early missions accompanied by military outposts that were established by Franciscan priests between 1769 and 1833 in Alta California. Their goal was to spread Christianity among the local Native Americans.
To facilitate overland travel, the mission settlements were situated approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) apart, about one day's journey on horseback, or three days on foot. The entire trail eventually became a 600-mile (966-kilometer) long "California Mission Trail." Rev. Lasuén successfully argued that filling in the empty 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]:132[2]:152 Heavy freight movement was practical only via water. Tradition has it that the padres sprinkled mustard seeds along the trail to mark it with bright yellow flowers.[3]:79[4]:260
Mission trail
Today a growing number of people, calling themselves California Mission Walkers, hike the mission trail route, usually in segments between the missions.[5] Walking the trail is a way to connect with the history of the missions. For some it represents a spiritual pilgrimage, inspired by Jesuit priest Richard Roos' 1985 book, Christwalk.[6] The loosely organized group is attempting to formalize the route and establish markers, similar to the 330 mile El Camino de Santiago, in Spain.
In chronological order
- Mission San Diego de Alcalá founded in 1769
- Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo founded in 1770
- Mission San Antonio de Padua founded in 1771
- Mission San Gabriel Arcángel founded in 1771
- Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa founded in 1772
- Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores) founded in 1776
- Mission San Juan Capistrano founded in 1776
- Mission Santa Clara de Asís founded in 1777
- Mission San Buenaventura founded in 1782
- Mission Santa Barbara founded in 1786
- Mission La Purísima Concepción founded in 1787
- Mission Santa Cruz founded in 1791
- Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad founded in 1791
- Mission San José founded in 1797
- Mission San Juan Bautista founded in 1797
- Mission San Miguel Arcángel founded in 1797
- Mission San Fernando Rey de España founded in 1797
- Mission San Luis Rey de Francia founded in 1798
- Mission Santa Inés founded in 1804
- Mission San Rafael Arcángel founded in 1817 – originally planned as an asistencia to Mission San Francisco de Asís
- Mission San Francisco Solano founded in 1823 – originally planned as an asistencia to Mission San Rafael Arcángel
In geographical order, north to south
- Mission San Francisco Solano, in Sonoma
- Mission San Rafael Arcángel, in San Rafael
- Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores), in San Francisco
- Mission San José, in Fremont
- Mission Santa Clara de Asís, in Santa Clara
- Mission Santa Cruz, in Santa Cruz
- Mission San Juan Bautista, in San Juan Bautista
- Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, in Carmel
- Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, south of Soledad
- Mission San Antonio de Padua, northwest of Jolon
- Mission San Miguel Arcángel, in San Miguel
- Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, in San Luis Obispo
- Mission La Purísima Concepción, northeast of Lompoc
- Mission Santa Inés, in Solvang
- Mission Santa Barbara, in Santa Barbara
- Mission San Buenaventura, in Ventura
- Mission San Fernando Rey de España, in Mission Hills (Los Angeles)
- Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, in San Gabriel
- Mission San Juan Capistrano, in San Juan Capistrano
- Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, in Oceanside
- Mission San Diego de Alcalá, in San Diego
Asistencias in geographical order, north to south
Asistencias were branch missions that allowed the priests to extend their reach into the native population at a modest cost.
- Mission Dolores Asistencia, founded in 1794 in San Mateo[7]
- San Pedro y San Pablo Asistencia, founded in 1786 in Pacifica
- Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia, founded in 1787 in Santa Margarita
- Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles Asistencia, founded in 1784 in Los Angeles
- San Antonio de Pala Asistencia (Pala Mission), founded in 1816 in eastern San Diego County
- Santa Ysabel Asistencia, founded in 1818 in Santa Ysabel
Estancias in geographical order, north to south
An estancia or Estância was a Spanish, Brazilian, or Portuguese term describing private landholdings.
- San Bernardino de Sena Estancia, founded in 1819 in Redlands
- Santa Ana Estancia, founded in 1817 in Costa Mesa (a.k.a. the Costa Mesa Estancia)
- Las Flores Estancia (Las Flores Asistencia), founded in 1823 in Camp Pendleton
Presidios in chronological order
- El Presidio Real de San Diego (Presidio of San Diego), founded July 16, 1769
- El Presidio Real de San Carlos de Monterey (Presidio of Monterey, California), founded June 3, 1770
- El Presidio Real de San Francisco (Presidio of San Francisco), founded December 17, 1776
- El Presidio Real de Santa Bárbara (Presidio of Santa Barbara), founded April 12, 1782
- El Presidio de Sonoma (Sonoma Barracks), founded 1810
References
- ↑ Yenne, Bill (2004). The Missions of California. Advantage Publishers Group, San Diego, California. ISBN 1-59223-319-8.
- ↑ Bennett, John E. (January 1897a). "Should the California Missions Be Preserved? – Part I". Overland Monthly. XXIX (169): 9–24.
- ↑ Markham, Edwin (1914). California the Wonderful: Her Romantic History, Her Picturesque People, Her Wild Shores... Hearst's International Library Company, Inc., New York.
- ↑ Riesenberg, Felix (1962). The Golden Road: The Story of California's Spanish Mission Trail. McGraw-Hill, New York. ISBN 0-07-052740-7.
- ↑ "El Camino Real's California Mission Walkers". California Mission Guide. 2014.
- ↑ Roos, Fr. Richard (1985). "Christwalk". Paulist Press.
- ↑ "San Mateo asistencia (hospice) and granary". San Mateo Daily journal. 2009-02-02. Retrieved 2015-06-17.