California Missions we Know and Postcards. Historic "El Camino Real"

 

 

El Camino Real of the California Missions (also called the El Camino Real Historic Mission Trail) was the historic route established in the late 18th century by Spanish colonizers to connect the 21 Franciscan missions founded in Alta California. It stretched about 600 miles (nearly 1,000 km) from San Diego to Sonoma, following the Pacific coast. These missions, established between 1769 and 1823 under the leadership of Friar Junípero Serra, were created to evangelize Indigenous peoples, secure the territory for the Spanish Crown, and serve as agricultural, religious, and cultural centers. Today, El Camino Real is an important symbol of early California history, marked by its iconic bells along the route, and it represents a complex mix of religious heritage, colonization, and Indigenous resistance. 

 

 

Carmel Mission — officially Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo 

 

We visited Carmel during our California Coastal Adventures trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Carmel Mission — officially Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo — is one of California’s most beautiful and historic missions. Set among quiet gardens and stone arches, it feels like stepping into another century.

Founded in 1771 and restored with great care, this sacred place tells stories of faith, resilience, and the beginning of California’s rich cultural tapestry.

Another postcard added to our Abuelos Mochileros collection. A memory captured in time.

#AbuelosMochileros #AbuelosMochilerosPostcards #CarmelMission #MissionSanCarlosBorromeo #CaliforniaMissions #TravelMemories #HistoryLovers

 

 

Mission La Purísima Concepción de María Santísima

Mission La Purísima Concepción de María Santísima (commonly known as La Purísima Mission) is one of the most unique and well-preserved of California’s 21 Spanish missions. Founded in 1787 near present-day Lompoc, it was originally built closer to the Santa Ynez River, but after a devastating earthquake in 1812, the mission was relocated and rebuilt at its current site. 

Unlike most other missions, La Purísima is laid out in a linear, street-like plan rather than a square, making it architecturally distinct. It once functioned as an important religious, agricultural, and industrial center, home to large herds, orchards, and workshops operated by the Chumash people under Franciscan supervision. Today, it is preserved as a California State Historic Park, offering visitors a rare look at daily mission life, colonial architecture, and the complex history between Spanish settlers and Indigenous communities.