Visit the Missions
The Library of Congress, National Park Service and Historic American Buildings Survey unite in celebrating the achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans and their indelible mark on our nation's society and history. The Spanish missionary enterprise that flourished in Texas and California in the 18th century grew out of a rich tradition that had evolved over centuries of conquest and colonization. As ordered by the Spanish crown, these missions, primarily staffed by the Franciscan Order, were tasked with converting the indigenous peoples of the area to Christianity.
Selected Images
Selected Resources For Missions
Read Early Books About the Missions 9Hide All
- California Missions E.H. Mitchell (Publisher), 1908?
- California Missions and Landmarks and How to Get There Mrs. A.S.C. Forbes, 1903
- California's Mission Tour: A Motoring Guide with Maps and Sketches Automobile Club of Southern California (Publisher), 1915
- The Famous Missions of California William H. Hudson, with sketches in color by W.H. Bull and many other illustrations, 1901
- Missions of California Maj. Ben. C. Truman, 1903
- The Missions of Nueva California: An Historical Sketch Charles Franklin Carter, 1900
- The Old Missions Chas. F. Lummis & Company (Publisher) , 1888
- Old Missions of Southern California Fannie E. Duvall, 1897
- The Old Spanish Missions of California: An Historical and Descriptive Sketch Paul Elder, 1913
Related Resources from the Library of Congress and the National Park Service: 6Hide All
- The California Missions
- San Antonio Missions (National Park Service)
- Father Eusebio Kino (Explorer, Cartographer, and Founder of Numerous Missions)
- Francisco Vásquez de Coronado (Explorer)
- Juan de Oñate (Explorer and Founder of First European Settlements in New Mexico's upper Rio Grande Valley)
- Spanish Colonial Missions of the Southwest (National Park Service)