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You are here: Home / Resources / California Mission List: Photos, Locations, Founders

California Mission List: Photos, Locations, Founders

By Damian Bacich

Between 1769 and 1823 Spanish missionaries founded 21 missions up and down the coast of Alta California (today’s state of California). These missions were meant to continue the chain of missions extending north from the southern tip of Baja California.

  • Each mission was named after a Catholic saint who served as its patron.
  • Franciscan priests often chose to name based on the day the mission site was established and its relationship to the Church calendar, or because of some special significance the saint held in the life of the missionary or those who accompanied him.
  • In addition to missions, there were a number of asistencias in Upper California, Indian settlements that were affiliated with a nearby mission, but without the presence of a resident priest.

Below is a list of the 21 Alta California missions Northern California and Southern California, and a brief profile of each one.

Profiles are listed in chronological order from the date of their founding. You will also find the names of their founders, the native peoples who lived at each mission, the agricultural goods produced there and its current status. Enjoy!


Northern California (North to South)

Mission San Francisco Solano

Mission San Francisco Solano. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.
Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Location: Sonoma, California

Year founded: 1823

Patron saint: St. Francis Solano.

Founder: Fr. José Altamira.

Native peoples: Coast Miwok, Pomo, Suisunes, Wappo and Patwin.

Goods produced: Some grain, also grapes and other fruit. This mission was never a large agricultural producer.

Current status: State historic park

Website: www.sonomaparks.org/pub/place/1

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 3


 Mission San Rafael Arcángel

Mission San Rafael Arcángel. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.
Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Location: San Rafael, California

Year founded: 1817

Patron saint: The Archangel St. Raphael.

Founders: Fathers Sarriá, Abella, Durán and Taboada.

Native peoples: Coast Miwok, Wappo and Pomo.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas, lentils, garbanzos, pears, grapes.

Current Status: Roman Catholic Parish.

Website: www.saintraphael.com

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 327


Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores)

Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores). Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net
Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores). Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Location: San Francisco, California

Year founded: 1776

Patron saint: St. Francis of Assisi.

Founder: Fr. Junípero Serra.

Native peoples: Ohlone, Coast Miwok, southern Pomo, Wappo, perhaps Winton, Maidu, Miwok, Yokuts.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas.

Current Status: Roman Catholic Parish.

Website: www.missiondolores.org

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 327


Mission San José

Mission San José. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.
Mission San José. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Location: Fremont, California

Year founded: 1797

Patron saint: St. Joseph.

Founder: Fr. Fermín de Lasuén.

Native peoples: Primarily Ohlone, though also Miwok, Patwin and Yokuts.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, vegetables, olive oil, fruit and produce.

Current Status: Roman Catholic parish.

Website: www.missionsanjose.org

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 334


Mission Santa Clara de Asís

Mission Santa Clara de Asís. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.
Mission Santa Clara de Asís. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Location: Santa Clara, California

Year founded: 1777

Patron saint: St. Clare of Assisi.

Founder: Fr. Junípero Serra.

Native peoples: Ohlone (Costanoan), Yokuts (from the Central Valley).

Goods produced: Wheat, other crops.

Current Status: University chapel.

Website: www.scu.edu/missionchurch

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 338


Mission San Juan Bautista

Mission San Juan Bautista. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.
Mission San Juan Bautista. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Location: San Juan Bautista, California

Year founded: 1797

Patron saint: St. John the Baptist.

Founder: Fr. Fermín de Lasuén.

Native peoples: Mutsun, also Yokuts from the San Joaquin Valley.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas.

Current Status: Roman Catholic parish.

Website: www.oldmissionsjb.org

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 195; National Historical Landmark


Mission Santa Cruz

Mission Santa Cruz. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.
Mission Santa Cruz. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Location: Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Location: Santa Cruz, California

Year founded: 1791

Patron saint: Named for the Cross of Jesus (the Holy Cross).

Founder: Fr. Fermín de Lasuén.

Native peoples: Ohlone and Yokuts.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas, lentils, garbanzos and fava beans.

Current Status: Replicas of the mission buildings are on the grounds of a Catholic parish. There is a nearby Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park as well.

Websites: (Parish) www.holycrosssantacruz.com/mission-santa-cruz and (Park) www.parks.ca.gov

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 342

Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo

Mission San Carlos Borromeo. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.
Mission San Carlos Borromeo. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Location: Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Year founded: 1770

Patron saint: St. Charles Borromeo.

Founder: Fr. Junípero Serra.

Native peoples: Esselen, Rumsen  — also known as Costanoan.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, vegetables.

Current Status: Roman Catholic Parish.

Website: www.carmelmission.org

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 135, National Historical Landmark


Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad

Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad. By Duxlux - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51918488
Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad. By Duxlux – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51918488

Location: Soledad, California

Year founded: 1791

Patron saint: Our Lady of Solitude.

Founder: Fr. Fermín de Lasuén.

Native peoples: Recruits included Chalon, Esselen, Yokuts and Salinan.

Current Status: Roman Catholic Parish.

Website: www.missionsoledad.com

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 233


Mission San Antonio de Padua

Mission San Antonio de Padua. By Voschix - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46355093
Mission San Antonio de Padua. By Voschix – Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46355093

Location: Jolon, California

Year founded: 1771

Patron saint: St. Anthony of Padua.

Founder: Fr. Junípero Serra.

Native peoples: Salinan (local), as well as Yokuts from the San Joaquin Valley.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas.

Current Status: Roman Catholic parish.

Website: http://missionsanantonio.net

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 232.


Mission San Miguel Arcángel

Mission San Miguel Arcángel. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.
Mission San Miguel Arcángel. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Location: San Miguel, California

Year founded: 1797

Patron saint: The Archangel St. Michael.

Founder: Fr. Fermín de Lasuén.

Native peoples: Salinan (local), as well as Yokuts from the San Joaquin Valley.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas.

Current Status: Roman Catholic parish.

Website: www.missionsanmiguel.org/

Historical landmark: Landmark no. 326; National Historical Landmark


Southern California (North to South)

Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa

Mission San Luis Obispo. By Rennett Stowe (Flickr: Mission San Luis Obispo) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.
Mission San Luis Obispo. By Rennett Stowe (Flickr: Mission San Luis Obispo) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Year founded: 1772

Patron saint: Saint Louis of Toulouse.

Founder: Fr. Junípero Serra.

Native peoples: Chumash — also known as Obispeño

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas, lentils.

Current Status: Roman Catholic parish.

Website: www.missionsanluisobispo.org

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 325


Mission La Purísima Concepción

Mission La Purísima Concepción. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.
Mission La Purísima Concepción. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Year founded: 1787

Patron saint: The Virgin Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception.

Founder: Fr. Fermín de Lasuén.

Native peoples: Chumash — also known as Purisimeño.

Current Status: State historic park.

Website: www.lapurisimamission.org

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 928 (original site); California Historical Landmark no. 340; National Historical Landmark


Mission Santa Inés Virgen y Mártir

Mission Santa Inés. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.
Mission Santa Inés. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Year founded: 1804

Patron saint: St. Agnes.

Founder: Fr. Estevan Tapis.

Native peoples: Chumash — also known as Ineseño.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas, lentils, garbanzos and favas.

Current Status: Roman Catholic Parish.

Website: www.missionsantaines.org/

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 305; National Historical Landmark


Mission Santa Bárbara

Mission Santa Barbara. By Bernard Gagnon - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5310419.
Mission Santa Barbara. By Bernard Gagnon – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5310419.

Year founded: 1786

Patron saint: St. Barbara.

Founder: Fr. Fermín de Lasuén.

Native peoples: Chumash — also known as Barbareño, Canalino.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas, lentils, garbanzos and fava beans.

Current Status: Roman Catholic Parish.

Website:www.santabarbaramission.org

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 309; National Historical Landmark


 Mission San Buenaventura

Mission San Buenaventura. The original uploader was Geographer at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by IngerAlHaosului using CommonsHelper., CC BY 1.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9284688
Mission San Buenaventura. By Geographer at English Wikipedia –  CC BY 1.0, Link

Year founded: 1782

Patron saint: St. Bonaventure.

Founder: Fr. Junípero Serra.

Native peoples: Chumash — also known as Ventureño

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas, lentils, garbanzos and fava beans.

Current Status: Roman Catholic Parish.

Website: www.sanbuenaventuramission.org

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 309


Mission San Fernando Rey de España

Mission San Fernando Rey de España. Photo by Shubert Ciencia -- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/
Mission San Fernando Rey de España. Photo by Shubert Ciencia — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/

Year founded: 1797

Patron saint: St. Ferdinand, King of Spain.

Founder: Fr. Fermín de Lasuén.

Native peoples: Tataviem, Tongva (Fernandeño, Gabrielino).

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas, lentils, garbanzos and fava beans.

Current Status: Roman Catholic Parish

Website: www.archivalcenter.org/services-mission

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 157


Mission San Gabriel Arcángel

Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. By Enrique López-Tamayo Biosca (http://www.flickr.com/photos/eltb/7377400356) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.
Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. By Enrique López-Tamayo Biosca (http://www.flickr.com/photos/eltb/7377400356) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Year founded: 1771

Patron saint: The Archangel St. Gabriel.

Founder: Fr. Junípero Serra, Fr. Pedro Cambón.

Native peoples: Tongva  — also known as Gabrielino.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas, lentils, garbanzos.

Current Status: Roman Catholic Parish.

Website: www.sangabrielmissionchurch.org

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 158


Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mission San Juan Capistrano. By Bernard Gagnon (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Mission San Juan Capistrano. By Bernard Gagnon (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Year founded: 1776

Patron saint: St. John of Capistrano.

Founder: Fr. Junípero Serra.

Native peoples: Acjachemem — also known as Juaneño.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas, lentils, garbanzos, fava beans.

Current Status: Mission buildings are on the grounds of a Catholic parish.

Website: www.missionsjc.com

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 200


Mission San Luis Rey de Francia

Mission San Luis Rey de Francia. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Year founded: 1798

Patron saint: St. Louis, King of France.

Founder: Fr. Fermín de Lasuén.

Native peoples: Kumeyaay, Quechnajuichom also known as Diegueño, Luiseño.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans.

Current Status: Roman Catholic parish and retreat center.

Website: www.sanluisrey.org

Historical landmark: California Historical Landmark no. 239; National Historical Landmark


Mission San Diego de Alcalá

Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.
Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Photo by Damian Bacich/CaliforniaFrontier.net.

Year founded: 1769

Patron saint: St. Didacus of Alcalá

Founder: Fr. Junípero Serra

Native peoples: Kumeyaay (Ipai/Tipai)  — also known as Diegueño.

Goods produced: Wheat, barley, corn, beans, peas, lentils, garbanzos and fava beans.

Current Status: Roman Catholic Parish.

Website: www.missionsandiego.org

Historical landmark:

California Historical Landmark No. 242; National Historical Landmark.


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Filed Under: 4th Grade, Resources, Spanish Missions

About Damian Bacich

Damian Bacich, Ph.D. writes about California and the West. He is also a professor, translator and historical researcher. You can learn more about Damian here.

Comments

  1. Emily Joness says

    February 6, 2017 at 11:54 pm

    I love to visit retreat centers and now it has become an integral part of my life.

    • Damian Bacich says

      February 27, 2017 at 10:14 am

      Dear Emily,
      Many of the missions do function as retreat centers. It always reminds me how the missions are living communities and not just museums — although museums are good things, too!

I’m Dr. Damian Bacich, and I started the California Frontier Project. Learn more about me and the project here.

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