Picture postcards became popular in America as souvenirs and message sending media in the late 19th c. Their low cost, portability, and accessibility allowed tourists to send greetings, share their excitement, and transmit memories; even to future generations. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has a vast collection of postcards, and in this Guide we share early 20th c. images of the California Missions, landmarks of early Hispanic settlement in North America.

In 1769, under the direction of King Charles III of Spain, Father Junipero Serra (1713-1784), of the Spanish Franciscan order, was called upon to assist the colonization of Alta California, the area including the present day state of California. Mission San Diego de Alcalá was the first founded by Fr. Serra, in 1769. Mission San Diego was built to convert American Indians of the Kumeyaay tribe to Catholicism. In total, 21 Spanish Franciscan missions were established between 1769 and 1823.

Serra’s directive was to establish missions to assist the Roman Catholic conversion and control of the lands and native peoples. Mission San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo is located near the town of Monterey, the original capital of Spanish and later Mexican, California. It was the 2nd of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions founded in California between 1769 and 1823. It was established to convert American Indians of the Esselen and Ohlone, or Costanoan, tribes to Catholicism.

Mission San Antonio de Padua, founded in 1771, is located on the Salinas River south of King City, in Monterey County. It was the 3rd of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823, and was built to convert American Indians of the Salinan tribe to Catholicism. Today the mission serves a parish church.

Mission San Gabriel Arcángel was founded in 1771, near the city of Montebello, in Southern California. It was the 4th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions founded in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was established to convert American Indians of the Tongva tribe to Catholicism. It was moved in 1775 to its present location outside of downtown Los Angeles. After a disastrous arson in 2020, the church was renovated and the museum updated with experts from the Gabrieleño Tongva community.

Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, located in San Luis Obispo County, was founded in 1772 by Fr. Junípero Serra. It was the 5th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823, and was built to convert American Indians of the Chumash tribe to Catholicism. Today the mission serves as a parish church.

Mission Dolores, originally Mission San Francisco de Asís, is the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco. Founded in 1776, the mission was the 6th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions founded in CA between 1769 and 1823. It was established to support the conversion of American Indians of the Bay Miwok, Coast Miwok, and Patwin tribes to Catholicism. Today the site is run by the Sonoma State Historical Park system. Services are held in the mission building and the adjacent, more modern Basilica.

Mission San Juan Capistrano is located in the town of the same name. It was the 7th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823, and was founded for the conversion to Catholicism of American Indians of the Luisen, or Juaneno, tribe. Today the mission compound includes a parish chapel and a museum.

The postcard represents daily life at the Mission Santa Clara soon after its founding in 1777. This was the 8th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions built in California between 1769 and 1823. Established to convert American Indians of the Bay Miwok, Tamyen, or Costanoan, and Yokuts tribes to Catholicism, in 1851 the Mission was transferred to the Jesuits, who founded what is now Santa Clara University, one of the first two institutions of higher education in California.

Mission San Buenaventura is located in the city of Ventura. It was the 9th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823, and was built to convert American Indians of the Chumash tribe to Catholicism.Today the mission serves as a parish church and a museum.

Mission Santa Barbara was founded in 1786, the 10th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was built to convert American Indians of the Chumash tribe to Catholicism. Today the mission serves as a parish church, a museum, a Franciscan friary, or monastery, and an event venue.

Mission La Purísima Concepción is located northwest of Santa Barbara in Lompoc, California. It was the 11th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions founded in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was founded to convert American Indians of the Chumash tribe to Catholicism. Today the mission is one of three former Missions or Mission facilities managed by the California State Parks system; including Mission San Francisco Solano and Mission Santa Cruz State Park.

Mission Santa Cruz, founded in 1791, is located near today's city of Santa Cruz. It was the 12th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions built in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was built to convert American Indians of the Costanoan and Yokuts tribes to Catholicism. Today the mission buildings include a parish church, a chapel, and a dormitory. The dormitory, the only remaining original 12th c. building, sits in a small park run by the California State Park system.

Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad was founded in 1791. It was the 13th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823, and was founded to convert American Indians of the Costanoan, Esselin, and Yokuts tribes to Catholicism. The mission now serves as a parish church and a museum.

Mission San Jose (formerly and incorrectly assigned the name "Guadalupe") is located near the city of Fremont. It was the 14th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was founded to convert American Indians of the Miwok, Patwin, Costanoan, and Yokuts tribes to Catholicism. Today the mission serves as a parish church and a museum.

Founded on June 24, 1797 by the Franciscan Order, the Mission San Juan Bautista was the 15th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions built in California between 1769 and 1823. It was established to convert American Indians of the Mutsun, or Costanoan, and Yokuts tribes to Catholicism. Today the mission serves as a parish church and museum.

Mission San Miguel Arcangel, located in San Miguel, was the 16th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions founded in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was established to convert American Indians of the Salinan tribe to Catholicism. Today the mission serves as a parish church and museum.

Mission San Fernando Rey de España, founded in 1797, is located in the San Fernando Valley. It was the 17th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions built in California between 1769 and 1823. Its purpose was to convert American Indians of the Tataviam and Tongva tribes to Catholicism. Today it serves as a parish chapel and a museum.

Mission San Luis Rey de Francia was the 18th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions founded in California between 1769 and 1823. Dedicated in 1798, this mission was established to convert American Indians of the Kumeyaay and Luiseno tribes to Catholicism. Today the mission serves as a parish church, a museum, and a retreat site.

Pala Mission, or San Antonio de Pala Asistencia, founded in 1816, is situated about 25 miles northeast of Oceanside. It was an ancillary mission to the Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, the 18th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions built in California between 1769 and 1823. Today Pala Mission is the only one of the 21 original Spanish Franciscan missions to continuously minister to an American Indian community since its founding.

Mission Santa Inés (also Ynez) was dedicated in 1804, and is situated north of Santa Barbara. It was the 19th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions to be built in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was founded to convert American Indians of the Chumash tribe to Catholicism. Today the mission serves as a parish church and a museum.

The mission was founded in 1817, the 20th of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions founded in California between 1769 and 1823. It was established as a medical facility to treat American Indians of the region and convert them to Catholicism. Today the mission serves as a small museum and is adjacent to the St. Raphael Parish church and school. In 1879 the ruins of the original structure were removed. The current smaller replica structure was erected 1949.

Mission San Francisco Solano De Sonoma, founded in 1823, was the last of 21 missions built by Spanish Franciscans in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was established to convert American Indians of the region to Catholicism. After Mexican independence from Spain in 1821, and by the mid-1830s, the Mexican government, then responsible for the territory, secularized and sold the missions to discourage their economic monopolies. The site is part of the Sonoma Petalum Parks system.