Founding Order

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One of the questions often asked is in what order the missions were founded. Here is the order/date of founding for each:

• Founded by Blessed Junípero Serra (San Francisco de Asís was founded by Padre Francisco Palóu)
  • 1. San Diego de Alcalá (16 July 1769)
  • 2. San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo (3 June 1770)
  • 3. San Antonio de Padua (14 July 1771)
  • 4. San Gabriel Arcángel (8 September 1771)
  • 5. San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (1 September 1772)
  • 6. San Francisco de Asís (29 June 1776) (Padre Francisco Palóu said the founding Mass)
  • 7. San Juan Capistrano (1 November 1776) (Previously established by Fermín Francisco Lasuén 30 October 1775 but abandoned at that time)
  • 8. Santa Clara de Asís (12 January 1777)
  • Note: In 1780 two Missions more correctly associated with the Sonoran chain of Missions were founded in California. Blessed Serra did not found or control these two Missions and they did not last long.
    • 8a. La Purisima Concepción de la Virgén Santisima (October 1780) (Founded by Padres Juan Antonio Barreneche and Francisco Garcés near Yuma, California)
    • 8b. San Pedro y San Pablo de Bicuñer (October 1780) (Founded by Padres Juan Diaz and Matias Moreno near Yuma, California)
  • 9. San Buenaventura (31 March 1782)
• Founded by Padre Fermín Francisco Lasuén
  • 10. Santa Bárbara (4 December 1786)
  • 11. La Purísima Concepción (8 December 1787)
  • 12. Santa Cruz (25 September 1791)
  • 13. Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (9 October 1791)
  • 14. San José (11 June 1797)
  • 15. San Juan Bautista (24 June 1797)
  • 16. San Miguel Arcángel (25 July 1797)
  • 17. San Fernando Rey de España (8 September 1797)
  • 18. San Luis Rey de Francia (13 June 1798)
• Founded by others
  • 19. Santa Inés (17 September 1804)
  • 20. San Rafael Arcángel (14 December 1817)
  • 21. San Francisco Solano (4 July 1823)