Map: California Missions

THE CALIFORNIA MISSIONS

Built between 1769 and 1823, Father Serra, his companions and successors down to 1833, baptized over 90,000 Indians who lived along the coast of who came into the Missions from the central valleys. During the rule of Mexico, the Missions were secularized and confiscated, the Indians dispersed and most of the Missions falling at least into partial ruin. All have been restored in whole or in part during the past 63 years (beginning with Carmel in 1884). The purpose of the Missions was to convert the Indians to Christianity and to teach them civilization on the Spanish pattern.