California Missions by Date Established

A chronological guide to the missions of California. Includes franciscan establishments founded between 1769 and 1823.

1769: Mission San Diego de Alcala founded in 1769
1770: Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo founded in 1770
1771: Mission San Antonio de Padua founded in 1771
1771: Mission San Gabriel Arcangel founded in 1771
1772: Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa founded in 1772
1776: Mission San Francisco de Asis (Mission Dolores) founded in 1776
1776: Mission San Juan Capistrano founded in 1776
1777: Mission Santa Clara de Asis founded in 1777
1781: Mission San Buenaventura founded in 1782
1786: Mission Santa Barbara founded in 1786
1787: Mission La Purisima Concepcion founded in 1787
1791: Mission Santa Cruz founded in 1791
1791: Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad founded in 1791
1797: Mission San Jose founded in 1797
1797: Mission San Juan Bautista founded in 1797
1797: Mission San Miguel Arcangel founded in 1797
1797: Mission San Fernando Rey de España founded in 1797
1798: Mission San Luis Rey de Francia founded in 1798
1804: Mission Santa Ines founded in 1804
1817: Mission San Rafael Arcangel founded in 1817
1823: Mission San Francisco Solano founded in 1823

Asistencias in geographical order, north to south

1986: San Pedro y San Pablo Asistencia, founded in 1786 in Pacifica
1787: Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia, founded in 1787 in Santa Margarita
1784: Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles Asistencia, founded in 1784 in Los Angeles
1818: Santa Ysabel Asistencia, founded in 1818 in Santa Ysabel
1816: San Antonio de Pala Asistencia (Pala Mission), founded in 1816 in eastern San Diego County

Estancias in geographical order, north to south

1819: San Bernardino de Sena Estancia, founded in 1819 in Redlands
1817: Santa Ana Estancia, founded in 1817 in Costa Mesa (a.k.a. the Costa Mesa Estancia)
1823: Las Flores Estancia (Las Flores Asistencia), founded in 1823 in Camp Pendleton

Headquarters of the Alta California Mission System

1769-1771: Mission San Diego de Alcala
1771-1815: Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
1815-1819: Mission La Purisima Concepcion*
1819-1824: Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
1824-1827: Mission San Jose
1827-1830: Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
1830-1833: Mission San Jose
1833-1846: Mission Santa Barbara

Father-Presidents of the Alta California Mission System

1769-1784: Father Junipero Serra
1784-1785: Father Francisco Palou (presidente pro tempore)
1785-1803: Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen
1803-1812: Father Pedro Estevan Tapis
1812-1815: Father Jose Francisco de Paula Señan
1815-1820: Father Mariano Payeras
1820-1823: Father Jose Francisco de Paula SeNan
1823-1824: Father Vicente Francisco de Sarria
1824-1827: Father Narciso Duran
1827-1831: Father Jose Bernardo Sanchez
1831-1838: Father Narciso Duran
1838-1844: Father Jose Joaquin Jimeno
1844-1846: Father Narciso Duran

See also
Historic Missions of California
Other Attractions in California
California Travel Guide