MORTUARY CHAPEL, SAN LUIS REY

ILLUMINATED CHOIR MISSALS, ETC., AT MISSION SAN LUIS REY

BELFRY WINDOW, MISSION SAN FERNANDO REY

GRAVEYARD, RUINS OF MORTUARY CHAPEL, AND TOWER, MISSION SAN LUIS REY

SIDE OF MISSION SAN LUIS REY

THE CAMPANILE AT PALA

MISSION SANTA INES

MISSION OF SAN RAFAEL, ARCANGEL

MISSION SAN FRANCISCO SOLANO, AT SONOMA

CAMPANILE AND CHAPEL, SAN ANTONIO DE PALA

ANOTHER VIEW OF THE CAMPANILE AND CHAPEL, SAN ANTONIO DE PALA

MAIN DOORWAY AT SANTA MARGARITA CHAPEL

HIGH SCHOOL, RIVERSIDE, CALIF

WALL DECORATIONS ON OLD MISSION CHAPEL OF SAN ANTONIO DE PALA

ARCHES AT GLENWOOD MISSION INN, RIVERSIDE, CALIF.

TOWER, FLYING BUTTRESSES, ETC., GLENWOOD MISSION INN

ARCHES OVER THE SIDEWALK, GLENWOOD MISSION INN

RESIDENCE OF FRED MAIER, LOS ANGELES, CALIF

WASHINGTON SCHOOL, VISALIA, CALIF

THE OLD ALTAR AT THE CHAPEL OF SAN ANTONIO DE PALA

ALTAR AND INTERIOR OF CHAPEL OF SAN ANTONIO DE PALA AFTER REMOVAL OF
WALL DECORATIONS PRIZED BY INDIANS

ALTAR AND CEILING DECORATIONS, MISSION SANTA INES

INTERIOR OF MISSION SAN FRANCISCO DE ASIS

INTERIOR OF MISSION SAN MIGUEL, FROM THE CHOIR GALLERY

ARCHES, SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY DEPOT, SANTA BARBARA, CALIF

FACHADA OF MISSION CHAPEL AT Los ANGELES

THE CITY HALL, SANTA MONICA, CALIF

MISSION CHAPEL AT LOS ANGELES, FROM THE PLAZA PARK

RESIDENCE IN LOS ANGELES, SHOWING INFLUENCE OF MISSION STYLE OF
ARCHITECTURE

The Old Franciscan Missions of California

CHAPTER I

HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION

In the popular mind there is a misapprehension that is as deep-seated as
it is ill-founded. It is that the California Missions are the only
Missions (except one or two in Arizona and a few in Texas) and that they
are the oldest in the country. This is entirely an error. A look at a
few dates and historic facts will soon correct this mistake.

Cortes had conquered Mexico; Pizarro was conqueror in Peru; Balboa had
discovered the South Sea (the Pacific Ocean) and all Spain was aflame
with gold-lust. Narvaez, in great pomp and ceremony, with six hundred
soldiers of fortune, many of them of good families and high social
station, in his five specially built vessels, sailed to gain fame,
fortune and the fountain of perpetual youth in what we now call Florida.

Disaster, destruction, death--I had almost said entire
annihilation--followed him and scarce allowed his expedition to land,
ere it was swallowed up, so that had it not been