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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.

Links & Resources

• SeeCalifornia: California 21 Missions List
• Mission History
• California Missions Resource Center