California Missions History Project
Table of Contents
Spanish Missions in California
Tips for Researching the Missions
Tips for Building the Model
Map of the Missions
Los Angeles Area Missions
Southern Coast Missions
Central Coast Missions
San Francisco Bay Area Missions
Monterey Bay Area Missions
Inland Valley Missions
California Mission Links
Where's Your Mission Project?
Spanish Missions of California
History of the California Missions
Category: File - :Mission San Juan Capistrano.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A view of Mission San Juan Capistrano in April 2005. At left is the façade of the first adobe church with its added espadaña; behind the campanario, or "bell wall" is the "Sacred Garden." The Mission has earned a reputation as the "Loveliest of the Franciscan Ruins."Saunders and Chase, p. 65
Category: Image - :Franciscan missionaries in California.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Missionaries as They Came and Went. Franciscans of the California missions donned gray habits, in contrast to the brown cassocks that are typically worn today.Kelsey, p. 18
The Spanish missions in California comprise a series of religious outposts established by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order between 1769 and 1823 to spread the Christian faith among the local Native Americans. 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, and industry 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. 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.
Tips for Researching the Missions
Get excited about the project!
Here are a couple of suggestions that can make the history research project fun and relatively painless. (Image taken by Mr. Missions.)- Start early! We all know procrastination is fun now but not fun later.
- Arrange a trip to visit the mission you've been assigned. It would be a great day trip, and you may be able to talk to experts on the tour or pick up brochures with mission-specific information. Check out Mr. Missions' tips for visiting and the California Missions Resource Center for visitor information.
- Find general information online. Start with Wikipedia for an overview of Spanish missions in California. Then, follow the links at the bottom of this page to find resources for your assigned mission.
- Hit the library! The library has lots of great books about missions. Talk to the librarians, too. Lots of students do this project every year so the librarians have a lot of experience.
General Books on the California Missions
California Missions
Amazon Price: $24.91 (as of 12/26/2009) 
California Missions and Presidios
Amazon Price: $25.60 (as of 12/26/2009)
Life in a California Mission: Monterey in 1786 : The Journals of Jean Francois De LA Perouse
Amazon Price: $8.76 (as of 12/26/2009)
Tips for Building the Model
The best part of the project!
Typically, the teacher will require a model to go along with the report. The model either turns out to be the most fun part of the project or the most dreaded. With these tips, hopefully it will be the most fun. (Image from Paper Models Online.)- Start early! We all know procrastination is fun now but not fun later.
- Arrange a trip to visit the mission you've been assigned. Check out Mr. Missions' tips for visiting and California Missions Resource Center for visitor information. Try to take many pictures if you can and sketch out the organization of the grounds and building. You'll be able to add great details to your model like the trees and shrubbery.
- Finding a blueprint of the mission is difficult. Hit the library! Look for books with lots of photographs and hopefully an aerial view.
- Visit a museum. You could take a trip to the California Missions Museum. They have hand-crafted models of all the missions.
- Build a small paper model to help you visualize the mission for your big model. It helps to buy a small cutout model from Amazon or Paper Models Online.
- Use creative building materials to set you apart from the rest. A hot glue gun might really help you out. Think about balsa wood, sugar cubes, salt dough, cereal, cardboard, foamcore, etc. Also, don't forget to paint your mission! Spray paints (with adult supervision) produce very even and clean color with clever use of stencils and masking.
- Get a little parental involvement (just a little!) to help out with the tricky parts.
Books to Help with the Model
Projects & Layouts (California Missions)
Amazon Price: $27.93 (as of 12/26/2009)
California Missions to Cut Out (Book 1)
Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 12/26/2009)
Exploring California Missions Projects & Layouts
Amazon Price: $22.34 (as of 12/26/2009)
Map of the Missions
Image from The Spanish Missions of California
Los Angeles Area Missions
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Mission San Buenaventura
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The founding of San Buenaventura Mission was foreshadowed well over two centuries ago on the Spanish isle of Mallorca, when a devout Franciscan priest, who was a brilliant scholar and professor of theology, earnestly prayed that he might be permitted...
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Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
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Father Junipero Serra was considered by his contemporaries to be an exceptionally devout missionary with great courage, remarkable intelligence and persistence. On the birthday of Mary, September 8, 1771, under Fr. Serra's direction, Fathers Pedro Ca...
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Mission San Fernando Rey de España
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Founded September 8, 1797. The padres sought a location for another mission to relieve the long journey between San Gabriel and San Buenaventura. The most desirable spot was already claimed by Francisco Reyes, the mayor of the Los Angeles pueblo. He...
Get the Book
Los Angeles Area Missions (Exploring California Missions)
Mission San Gabriel Arcangel
Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana
Mission San Buenaventura
Amazon Price: $15.75 (as of 12/26/2009)
Southern Coast Missions
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Mission San Juan Capistrano
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Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded on November 1, 1776 and is 7th of the 21 California missions. The Mission was returned to the Catholic Church in 1865 by Abraham Lincoln. The property is owned by the Diocese of Orange, however, the Mission ope...
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Mission San Diego de Alcalá
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First of the 21 missions and known as the Mother of the Missions, Mission San Diego de Alcala was founded on July 16, 1769 by Blessed Junipero Serra. It was designated as a Minor Basilica in 1976 by Pope Paul VI. The Mission today is an active Cathol...
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Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
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Welcome to Mission San Luis Rey, the King of the Missions and a jewel of San Diego County North. A National Historic Landmark founded in 1798, Mission San Luis Rey is the largest of the 21 California Missions and recently ranked first among the Seven...
Get the Book
Exploring California Missions, Southern Coast Missions in California
Mission San Diego de Alcala
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
Amazon Price: $27.93 (as of 12/26/2009)
Central Coast Missions
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Mission Santa Barbara
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Mission Santa Barbara was the tenth of the California missions to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans. It was established on the Feast of St. Barbara, Dec 4, 1786. Padre Junipero Serra, who founded the first nine missions, had died 2 years earlier....
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Mission La PurÃsima ConcepcÃon
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La Purisima Mission was the eleventh mission of the twenty-one Spanish Missions established in what became California. Mision La Purisima Concepcion de Maria Santisima was founded on December 8, 1787 by Franciscan Padre Presidente Fermin Francisco La...
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Mission Santa Inés
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The Mission was founded on September 17, 1804 by Father Estevan Tapis, and was named in honor of Saint Agnes, an early Christian martyr of the fourth century. The Spanish for Agnes is Ines, hence the name of the church; the American Yankees anglicize...
Get the Book
Central Coast Missions in California (Exploring California Missions)
Mission Santa Barbara
Mission Santa Ines
Mission La Purisima
Amazon Price: $27.93 (as of 12/26/2009)
San Francisco Bay Area Missions
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Mission San José
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Mission San Jose was founded on June 11, 1797 by Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen on a site which was part of a natural highway by way of the Livermore Valley to the San Joaquin Valley. It is the fourteenth of the 21 Spanish Missions in Alta Califor...
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Mission San Francisco de AsÃs
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In addition to its unique historic, religious, and architectural significance, Mission Dolores has always had a central place in the civic and cultural life of San Francisco. Today, besides being a destination for hundreds of thousands of San Francis...
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Mission San Rafael Arcángel
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Mission San Rafael was part of the mixed and fascinating history. Founded in 1817 by Padre Vincent Sarria as an 'asistencia' or adjunct to Mission Dolores, San Rafael was originally designated a sanitarium for native converts suffering from San Franc...
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Mission Santa Clara de AsÃs
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The first sight that greets visitors to Santa Clara University is the façade of the restored church of Mission Santa Clara de Asís. Santa Clara University, the oldest college in California, is also the only college in the state to be the successor of...
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Mission San Francisco de Solano
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Discouraged by declining opportunity at Dolores, a zealous young padre founded Mission San Francisco de Solano, at Sonoma, on July 4, 1823, without the knowledge of his superiors. He was encouraged by the governor, who wanted a buffer between the pro...
Get the Book
San Francisco Bay Area Missions (Exploring California Missions)
Mission Santa Clara
Mission San Jose
Mission San Francisco de Asis
Mission San Rafael Arcangel
Mission San Francisco Solano
Amazon Price: $27.93 (as of 12/26/2009)
Monterey Bay Area Missions
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Mission San Juan Bautista
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The day was June 24, 1797, a Saturday, and the priest was Fr. Fermin de Lasuen, Presidente of the California Missions successor to Blessed Junipero Serra. This mission was one of four established by Fr. Lasuen in the summer of 1797 and the fifteenth...
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Mission Santa Cruz
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Mission Santa Cruz was founded by Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen (pronounced:Lah-SWEN), the successor of Father Junípero Serra. Since 1859 the mission site has been owned and operated by the Diocese of Monterey, now under the direction of Bishop S...
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Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
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On June 3, 1770, after a year of journey and hardship, the soldiers of De Portola and the missionaries led by Fr. Serra, gathered by the Monterey Bay to witness a formal ceremony of the erection of the Holy cross that would mark the establishment of...
Get the Book
Monterey Bay Area Missions (Exploring California Missions)
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
Mission Santa Cruz
Mission San Juan Bautista
Amazon Price: $27.93 (as of 12/26/2009)
Inland Valley Missions
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Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
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Mission Nuestra Senora Dolorosisima de la Soledad, thirteenth in the chain of Alta California missions, Soledad Missionwas established on October 9, 1791, at the site of an Esselen Indian village recorded by Pedro Font as Chuttusgelis. A temporary ch...
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Mission San Antonio de Padua
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Founded as California's third mission in 1771, it has been said that of all the California missions, San Antonio de Padua is the only one that would be recognizable today to its founder Blessed Junipero Serra. Mission San Antonio de Padua sits upon h...
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Mission San Luis Obispo
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In 1769, Fr Serra, a member of the Order of Franciscan Minors (O.F.M.), received orders from Spain to bring the Catholic faith to the Natives of Alta California. On September 1, 1772, Fr. Serra celebrated the first Mass with a cross erected near San...
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Mission San Miguel de Arcángel
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Mission San Miguel Arcangel was founded on July 25, 1797 by Father Fermin Lasuen, Presidente of the California Missions Chain. Named for Saint Michael the Arcangel, it was the 16th mission founded in the 21 mission chain in Alta California. (Text and...
Get the Book
Inland Valley Missions in California (Exploring California Missions)
Mission San Luis Obispo
Mission San Miguel Arcangel
Mission San Antonio de Padua
Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad
Amazon Price: $27.93 (as of 12/25/2009)
California Mission Links
- California Missions Foundation
- Foundation for the preservation and restoration of the California missions. If you would like to make a donation towards the "Save the Missions Campaign," this is the place to do it.
- Architecture of the California Missions
- Wikipedia article that discusses construction methods and architectural style.
- California Missions
- A very brief introductory history of all 21 missions. Also has a 60 second video but access is slow.
- The California Mission Site
- Contains both a short and an in-depth history for each mission. Site also has authentic mission music and links to other mission history sites. Also has links to more general Spanish colonial history. Historical photographs are temporarily unavailable.
- California Mission Internet Trail
- The Escondido Union School District is constructing this site as part of the State Building the Future Project. Content is written by 4th grade classes throughout the state and includes history, field trip pictures, and "then-and-now" comparisons. Many pages are still empty as this site is still under contruction. Teacher resources are available for a few missions.
- California Missions On-Line Project
- A series of pages by Rob Garretson in partial fulfillment of his Master's of Arts Degree from Cal Poly Pomona. Has a brief paragraph on a variety of subject areas as well as an understanding assessment quiz for each mission.
- Virtual Tour of the Mission
- Mr. Missions has visited every mission and compiled a large number of photographs. Photographs are organized by mission. Also has useful travel tips for visiting the missions.
- California Missions Resource Center
- A very well put together, professionally designed site about the missions. Highly recommended are the Mission Visual Journeys and the Mission Timeline. Ask the Experts is also a great section to help you in your research. The site also has a very extensive links page.
- Missions of California on About.com
- Well written histories of the missions but in particular, you can find an in-depth biography of all the founding fathers.
- California Missions Museum
- Located in Sonoma, this museum houses hand-crafted models of all 21 missions. The models were created for the 1939 World's Fair.
- California Missions eBooks
- The Peninsula Library System offers a complete collection of free downloadable ebooks about every mission. Must have Adobe Acrobat to read.
- The Last Mission - Problem Based Learning
- This site can be a great resource for teachers and homeschoolers. It discusses in detail how you can organize a missions study project for your students.
Did you find everything you need?
Let me know if there's anything I should add to this page. I am committed to keeping this page updated in both links and content. Thank you! Also, you can rate this lens at The Isle of Squid or even submit your own lens there.
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- Jewelsofawe Jewelsofawe Dec 15, 2009 @ 11:40 pm
- This is cool! I have been to the San Juan Capristrano Mission. I grew down in Orange County so it was not a far trip...Blessed by an angel!
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Reply
- KimGiancaterino KimGiancaterino Dec 3, 2009 @ 8:28 pm
- I was hoping someone would do a series on the California missions. I grew up in the Bay Area and have visited several of them. Blessed by a Squid Angel.
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- JohannTheDog JohannTheDog Nov 29, 2009 @ 6:00 am
- Very interesting!!! I love exploring history :)
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- _Joan_ _Joan_ Aug 22, 2009 @ 1:12 am
- Good stuff! I've added this set of lenses to my SquidooSchooling lens.
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- Comfortdoc Comfortdoc Aug 1, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
- I included your California Mission lens and the lenses from the Monterey Bay Area Missions on the lens that I just did on Escape to the California Coast.
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Mission San Francisco de Solano- Discouraged by declining opportunity at Dolores, a zealous young padre founded M...
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo- On June 3, 1770, after a year of journey and hardship, the soldiers of De Portol...
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