1. Mission Art Press was founded by Howard Anderson to publish his works—a series of original oils depicting the missions of California photos: © 2000 Howard Anderson Las 21 misiones de California Presentación Jeanine Carr

3. El Camino Real The history of the El Camino Real and its bells, is quite interesting. At the same time that the American colonies were rebelling against England, a handful of Spaniards and Mexicans established outposts up the California coast. The first was established in 1769 at San Diego, when they established a fortress and a Franciscan mission. From that point, a series of small self-reliant religious missions were established. Each was a day's travel apart and linked by El Camino Real, Overall, El Camino Real ("The King's Highway") linked 21 missions, pueblos and four presidios from San Diego to Sonoma. These missions, pueblos, and presidios include: www.cahighways.org

4. San Francisco de Solano (Sonoma Mission) (1823). Sonoma County. San Rafael Arcángel (1817). Marin County. San Francisco de Asís [also known as Mission Delores] (1776). San Francisco County. San José (1797). Alameda County. Santa Clara de Asís (1777) Santa Clara County. Santa Cruz (1791). Santa Cruz County. San Juan Bautista (1797). San Benito County. San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo (1770), also known as Carmel Mission. Monterey County San Antonio de Padua (1771). Monterey County. Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (1791). Monterey County. San Miguel Arcangel (1797). San Luis Obispo County. San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (1772). San Luis Obispo County. La Purísima Concepción (1787). Santa Barbara County. Santa Inés (1804). Santa Barbara County. Santa Bárbara (1786). Santa Barbara County. San Buenaventura (1782). Ventura County. San Fernando Rey de España (1797). Los Angeles County. San Gabriel Archangel (1771). Los Angeles County. San Juan Capistrano (1776). Orange County. San Luis Rey de Francia (1798). San Diego County. San Diego de Alcalá (1769). San Diego County. Missions:

5. Pueblos: El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe (1777). Santa Clara County. El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles (1781). Los Angeles County. Presidios: El Presidio de San Francisco (1776). San Francisco County. El Presidio de Monterey (1770). Monterey County. El Presidio de Santa Barbara (1782). Santa Barbara County. El Presidio de San Diego (1769). San Diego County.

6. El Camino Real

8. First Mission Built Founded: July 16, 1769 Location: 10818 San Diego Mission Rd. San Diego This was the first mission, founded in 1769 by Padre Serra on his expedition to Alta California with Gaspar de Portola.

11. Eighteenth Mission Built Founded: June 13, 1798 Location: 4050 Mission Avenue San Luis Rey San Luis Rey was built midway between the popular missions of San Diego and San Juan Capistrano to accommodate the rapidly growing convert population. It was the last mission founded by Padre Serra's successor Padre Lasuén, and was christened in honor of Louis IX, king of France and patron of the Franciscan order

14. Seventh Mission Built Founded: November 1, 1776 Location: Ortega Highwy at Camino Capistrano San Juan Capistrano Known as the "Jewel Of The Missions," San Juan Capistrano was founded in 1776 by Padre Serra. Its church is the only remaining standing structure where it is known that he said Mass. Among the most beautiful and successful missions, it is also the best known, celebrated for the annual migration of swallows, Los Golondrinos, that arrive in the mission courtyard each March 19 after a 2000 mile journey from South America. On this day, according to custom, the old mission bells are rung once more.

17. Fourth Mission Built Founded: September 8, 1771 Location: 537 W. Mission Drive San Gabriel Known as the "Queen of the Missions," San Gabriel was modeled after a mosque and was so well- constructed that the church was one of the few mission structures to survive the massive 1812 California earthquake. Also one of the most prosperous missions in the chain, San Gabriel had thousands of fruit trees, expansive wheat fields and the largest winery in California, with grapes grown from clippings brought from Europe by Padre Serra himself.

20. Seventeenth Mission Built Founded: September 8, 1797 Location: 15151 San Fernando Mission Blvd. Mission Hills Founded by Padre Lasuén in 1797, San Fernando was named after St. Ferdinand, King of Spain, the patron of the mission in Mexico City which originally sent missionaries to California.

23. Ninth Mission Built Founded: March 31, 1782 Location: 211 E. Main Street Ventura Located halfway between San Diego and Carmel, San Buenaventura was originally planned to be California's third mission, but was actually the last one built during Padre Serra's lifetime. Because the Padre disagreed strongly with the civilian government in the area, he postponed the founding of the mission for 12 years.

26. Nineteenth Mission Built Founded: September 17, 1804 Location: 1760 Mission Drive Solvang Santa Inéz was the last mission built in Southern California. The only mission founded by Padre Estevan Tapes to honor Saint Agnes a a 13 year-old martyr who died in the fourth century

29. Eleventh Mission Built Founded: December 8, 1787 Location: 2295 Purisma Road Lompoc La Purisima is the first mission dedicated to Mary, the Blessed Virgin. The full appellation: La Purisima Concepción de Maria Santísma was founded by Padre Lasuén

32. Tenth Mission Built Founded: December 4, 1786 Location: 2201 Laguna Street Santa Barbara Santa Barbara was the first mission founded by Padre Serra's successor, Padre Fermin Francisco de Lasuen. Padre Serra had dedicated the site in 1782, but construction was delayed due to his ongoing difficulties with governor Felippe de Neve.

35. Sixteenth Mission Built Founded: July 25, 1797 Location: 801 Mission Road San Miguel Situated midway between the missions of San Luis Obispo and San Antonio de Padua, San Miguel was destroyed by fire in 1806. The new church, built between 1816-18 by the padres and natives from nearby missions, remains one of the best preserved interiors among all the California mission structures

38. Third Mission Built Founded: July 14, 1771 Location: Hunter Liggett Military Reservation Jolon The first mission to be built between San Diego and Carmel, San Antonio was founded by Padre Serra in 1771, then moved to a site farther north to be closer to a water supply. The padres damned the San Antonio River, establishing California's first aqueduct and its first water-powered grist mill.. According to Padre Serra, San Antonio was also the first mission to have a tile roof. It is also noteworthy as the site of the first Christian wedding ceremony

41. Thirteenth Mission Built Founded: October 9, 1791 Location: 36641 Fort Romie Road Soledad Padre Lasuén dedicated this mission to Our Lady of Solitude and, appropriately, it is a solitary place, the only mission in the Salinas Valley

44. Fifth Mission Built Founded: September 1, 1772 Location: 782 Monterey Street San Luis Obispo Christened by Padre Serra in honor of the medieval San Luis, Bishop of Toulouse, the location for this mission was determined by a bear hunt in 1772 that resulted in 9000 pounds of meat sent to the Missions San Antonio and Carmel, saving the communities from starvation.

46. 1797

49. Second Mission Built Founded: June 3, 1770 Location: 3080 Rio Road Carmel From San Diego, Padre Serra went up the coast to Carmel, where he founded the second mission in 1770. It was moved south of Monterey Bay a year later to a location with better soil. Serra so loved the location that he made it his headquarters and, when he died in 1784, he was buried next to his associate, Padre Crespi, within the mission church walls.

52. Twelfthth Mission Built Founded: September 25, 1791 Location: 126 High Street Santa Cruz Where California's towering redwoods meet the Pacific ocean, Padre LasuŽn founded the mission, dedicating it to the Holy Cross

55. Eighth Mission Built Founded: September 8, 1771 Location: 500 El Camino Real Santa Clara The first mission to be christened after a woman, St. Clare of Assisi, Mission Santa Clara has occupied five different locations. The first proved to be too close to the Guadalupe River. The second site was temporary, until the third site could be found and blessed by Padre Serra himself. A severe earthquake in 1818 forced construction of another temporary church until the fifth and present site was found and construction begun in 1822. The mission became California's first college in 1851. In 1926, fire razed the entire mission structure and was rebuilt in 1928 as part of the Santa Clara University campus.

59. Fourteenth Mission Built Founded: June 11, 1797 Location: 43300 Mission Blvd. Fremont In its time, San José was one of the most successful mission. With 6000 converts it ranked third behind Santa Clara and San Gabriel. Its cattle ranching and farming operations were large and successful but it endured many raids and skirmishes. This is the only territory in California where the Spaniards did not first secure the cooperation of the natives through the missionaries.

62. Sixth Mission Built Founded: October 9, 1776 Location: 3321 16th Street San Francisco The Spaniards discovered San Francisco Bay in 1769 and sent explorer Juan Bautista de Anza on a legendary march from northwestern Mexico to the bay area with more than two hundred settlers, a garrison of soldiers and a thousand head of cattle. They settled at Arroyo de los Dolores and an assistant of Padre Serra's, Padre Francisco Palou, consecrated the site on June 29, 1776, five days before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Mission Dolores, as it is known locally, is the oldest intact building in San Francisco.

65. Twentieth Mission Built Founded: December 14, 1817 Location: 1104 Fifth Avenue San Rafael Originally built as a convalescent hospital for neophytes who succumbed to the damp, rheumatic climate of Mission Dolores in San Francisco, San Rafael was an asistancia of the larger mission. Fr. Luis Gil was its first presider. It was initially dedicated as a full mission in 1822 and christened after the arcangel whose name means "healing power of God."

68. Twenty-first Mission Built Founded: 1823 Location: 20 E. Spain Street Sonoma The last mission to be built, San Francisco Solano was the only one founded under Mexican rule. It was also the only mission built without permission of the Mission Presidente. Padre José Altimira believed that the warmer climate north of the bay area would be healthier for his rheumatic neophyte converts at Mission Dolores and set out on his own to find a healthier environment