The California Mission Era began in 1769, and ended after the last Mission was built in 1823. California’s 21 Missions are merely a fraction of over 100 Missions built across North America. When you follow CA I-101 coastal highway, you are following the same travelling route (El Camino Real) of the Spaniards that built the 21 Missions. Each Mission is approximately 30 miles (or a day’s journey) away from the next, and were close to the ocean. Because Missions were constructed from local materials, such as adobe brick, there are only a few remnants of original Mission structures that survived neglect and earthquakes. Many replicas stand in the place of the original Missions’ buildings.
| California Mission | Year Built |
|---|---|
| Basilica San Diego de Alcala | 1769 |
| San Carlos Borreomeo | 1770 |
| San Antonio de Padua | 1771 |
| San Gabriel Arcangel | 1771 |
| San Luis Obispo de Tolosa | 1776 |
| San Juan Capistrano | 1776 |
| Santa Clara de Asis | 1777 |
| San Buenaventura | 1782 |
| Santa Barbara | 1786 |
| La Purisima Concepcion | 1787 |
| Santa Cruz | 1791 |
| Nuestra Senora de la Soledad | 1791 |
| San Jose | 1777 |
| San Juan Bautista | 1797 |
| San Miguel Arcangel | 1797 |
| San Fernando Rey de Espana | 1797 |
| San Luis Rey de Francia | 1798 |
| Santa Ines | 1804 |
| San Rafael Arcangel | 1817 |
| San Francisco Solano de Sonoma | 1823 |
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