You may already know that there are 21 Missions today in the state of California. If you live in California, there is a good chance that you are within an hour's drive of one or more of the missions. Starting in San Diego, and dotting the coast all the way past San Francisco, the missions are a standing reminder of an earlier time, a time long past, when the Spanish were colonizing Alta California. They teach us of the introduction of Europeans to the California Native Americans, and the struggles that both groups would endure.
After Mexico won its independence from Spain, it found that it could no longer afford to keep the missions running as Spain had done. In 1834, Mexico decided to end the mission system and sell all of the lands. They offered the lands to the Indians who did not want the lands or could not come up with the purchase price. The lands were divided into smaller Ranchos and sold to Mexican citizens who were helpful during the war for independence. After nearly 30 years, the missions were returned to the Catholic Church. Although some of the missions had already been returned to the church, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed an Act declaring that all of the 21 missions in the California mission chain would become the property of the Catholic Church and have remained so since that time.
The economy at Mission was similar to the other missions in that they planted crops of wheat and corn. They also planted vineyards, and raised cattle and sheep.
The buildings were arranged around a 500 by 500 foot quadrangle. That is nearly the size of 2 football fields long. In 1826 a visitor from France described this mission as looking like "Palace". There were many visitors to this mission.
Most of today's Missions are active churches, indeed, some have held mass non-stop since their founding. Others are part of the California State Park system. All are modern day treasures, testimonies to the determination and faith of the people who built them, and a path backwards in time to our beginnings. They have influenced many aspects of our history, and continue to be an important part of our state today. Our intention with this website is to bring the present day mission to those who plan on visiting the missions, or those who may not be able to visit all the missions.
Contrary to what many people think, 19 of the 21 California missions are not funded by any governmental agency. Most rely solely on charitable donations to keep their wooden doors open. It is obvious that time continues to take its toll on these precious landmarks. Tiles crack. Paintings fade and sag. Earthquakes rumble. Thieves strike. Termites and beetles burrow. Floodwaters rise. Adobe walls crumble. That is why Mission needs support. Fund Development's purpose is to increase support for the Mission's operation and programs. This includes creating beneficial partnerships with our local business community, organizations, donors and other stakeholders.
Over 200 years of history are preserved in Mission San Luis Rey, California's "King of the California Missions ". The Missions are an important part of our cultural heritage, and merits support from the entire community. This is your opportunity to invest to Missions in preserving this legacy for the next generation.
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