Early Spanish Cultural Presence
in the Western United States

In 1539 Cabeza de Vaca walked across Texas and may have entered the southern reaches of New Mexico and Arizona. In 1540 Francisco Vazquez de Coronado led an expedition that penetrated through Arizona and New Mexico to Kansas. Late in the seventeenth century Father Eusebio Francisco Kino established a series of missions in southern Arizona. During the period 1769 - 1823 twenty one Spanish Missions were established in California stretching from San Diego to Sonoma.

San Jose de los Jemez Catholic Church
Founded 1610 by Franciscan Missionaries

Salinas Pueblo Missions
Founded 1620s by Franciscan Missionaries

Tumacacori Mission
Founded 1691, by Fr. Eusebio Francisco Kino

Tubac Presidio
Founded 1752, Juan Bautista de Anza was the second commander

Mission San Diego de Alcala
Founded July 16, 1769, by Fr. Juniperro Serra

Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
Founded June 3, 1770, by Fr. Juniperro Serra

Mission San Antonio de Padua
Founded July 14, 1771, by Fr. Juniperro Serra

Mission San Gabriel Arcangel
Founded September 8, 1771, by Frs. Pedro Cambon & Angel Somera

Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
Founded September 1, 1772, by Fr. Juniperro Serra

Mission San Francisco de Asis
Founded June 26, 1776, by Fr. Francisco Palou

Mission San Juan Capistrano
Founded November 1, 1776, by Fr. Juniperro Serra

Mission Santa Clara de Asis
Founded January 12, 1777, by Fr. Junjiperro Serra

Mission San Buenaventura
Founded March 31, 1782 by Fr. Juniperro Serra

Mission Santa Barbara
Founded December 4, 1786, by Fr. Fermin Lausen

Mission La Purisima Conception
Founded December 8, 1787 by Fr. Fermin Lausen

Mission Santa Cruz
Founded August 28, 1791, by Fr. Fermin Lausen

Mission Senora de la Soledad
Founded October 9, 1791, by Fr. Fermin Lausen

Mission San Jose de Guadalupe
Founded June 11, 1797, by Fr. Fermin Lausen

Mission San Juan Bautista
Founded June 24, 1797, by Fr. Fermin Lausen

Mission San Miguel Arcangel
Founded July 25, 1797, by Fr. Fermin Lausen

Mission San Fernando del Rey de Espana
Founded September 8, 1797, by Fr. Fermin Lausen

Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
Founded June 13, 1797, by Fr. Fermin Lausin

Mission Santa Ynez
Founded September 18, 1804, by Fr. Estevan Tapis

Mission San Rafael Arcangel
Founded December 14, 1817, by Fr.Vicente de Sarria

Mission San Francisco Solano
Founded July 4, 1823 by Fr. Jose Altimira

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca - Biographical Notes
Juan Bautista de Anza - Biographical Notes
Fr. Juniperro Serra - Biographical Notes

"Hispanic gives us all one ultimate paternal cultural progenitor: Spain. The diverse
cultures already on the American shores when the Europeans arrived, as well as those
introduced because of the African slave trade, are completely obliterated by the term."

Ana Castillo