The missions built along El Camino Real from the border with Baja California to north of San Francisco Bay are a unique element of both Californian and American architecture. The California Mission "chain", ultimately comprising 21 missions, was started in 1769 by Father Junipero Serra at the direction of King Charles III of Spain. The King wanted to strengthen Spain's hold on the territory, establish settlements, towns and trade, and convert the Indians to Christianity. The missions were spaced out a days walk from each other along their 650-mile route.

Each of the missions typically followed a fairly common plan -- a bell-tower, church and quadrangle to house rooms, storage, trading posts, etc. -- and all were intended to be basically self-sufficient, so grew crops of wheat and corn, planted vineyards and olive groves, and raised cattle and sheep.

Many of what are today the largest cities in California started out as the pueblos of the missions -- for example, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Jose, and San Francisco.

After it won independence from Spain, Mexico found that it couldn't afford to keep the missions running, so in 1834 secularized the entire system, selling the lands largely to private citizens. In 1863 President Lincoln signed an act declaring that all 21 missions would become the property of the Catholic Church. Many of the missions fell into disrepair or ruin following secularization and since then all have been restored or rebuilt in varying degrees, with restoration continuing to this day.

This portfolio currently reflects those missions in the central coast area, south of San Francisco Bay and north of Los Angeles. Going from south to north they are: Santa Ines, La Purisima, San Miguel, San Antonio, Soledad, San Carlos Borromeo and San Juan Bautista.