Annotated Links
to California Missions, History and Peoples

	Our Top Ten Favorite Sites The top ten sites (listed in no particular order) are usually sites that include a lot of information, or unique and particularly useful material. Student Projects and Resources Projects by other students about the California Missions. California Mission History Sites dealing specifically with one or more of the missions. California, United States and Spanish Colonial History These sites deal with many different historical issues, but include sections on the missions or related material (like those of Baja California, Mexico or South America) Societies and Organizations Many historical and archaeological societies have posted useful information or reference guides for those wishing to investigate the missions. California Natives on the Internet A large selection of web sites by or about Native Americans in California, past and present.
	Our Top Ten Favorite Sites California History for Parents and Teachers: A Mission Construction Guide This page is specially designed to give much-needed information about that dreaded Mission model-building assignment. Including considerations of scale, construction, and possible sources of information. Animated Map of Mission Formation Created by Ed Stephan, this animated map is an excellent resource for students. It shows the California missions appearing in order of their founding on a map of California, helping to show their location both geographically and chronologically. Tad Beckman. Indians of California. " My goal, in presenting this WWW site, is to offer information and resources that will help in our understanding of the indigenous people of California. I hope that this material is interesting to everyone; however, I am especially interested in providing materials for California's teachers and students. " The Franciscan Friars of the St Barbara Province This web page shows that the Franciscans have made it well into the Twenty-first Century. You won't find Cornelius here, but there is a lot of information on the missions and the Franciscan order. California Department of Parks: Archaeology and History This extensive site has resources on many of the California Missions including histories, photographs, recent information such as archaeological studies and more. It also includes historical information on other related topics. It contains many links to historical sites and structures. Hispanic/Mexican Heritage Sites in California State Parks La Purisima Mission State Historic Park San Juan Bautista Missions of the Californias San Diego History Pictures This iste has links to pictures of San Diego Presidio, the San Diego Mission and Old Town San Diego. The Online Archive of California This site is put on by UC Berkeley and is a collection of four major archives, with aids to finding information within them. There are many collections of photographs, some relating to the missions and significant people related to them, and other collections detailing other periods or areas of California's History. Further resources are available as reference materials. It is unlikely anyone will have the time to exhaust everything made available through this site. Making of America This is a digital library of primary sources (meaning sources written or made by the people of the time), featuring many eras of US history through the Reconstruction period, including Mission resources. Surf the site, or use their search engine to find what you need. It is made possibly by the University of Michigan. People in The West - PBS Series This web site is about the PBS series of the same name. There are numerous, in-depth page with information of great value to students of the Missions and California history. It includes biographies of Father Junípero Serra, Mariano Vallejo and many others. CoolSpots California This is a great page for doing research on a variety of California History subjects, and also for planning your next vacation. Each of the dozens of sites are rated and summarized and alphabetically listed to make them easier to find.   Student Projects and Teaching Resources California Missions Interactive Home Page. In 1995, two bicyclists, Brian Wood and Christ Ernest Hall, toured twelve of the missions, using e-mail to remain in constant contact with twelve fourth grade classes in Palo Alto. This site contains information they gathered as well as interdisciplinary curriculum. California Mission Internet Trail This site is being constructed by California students to serve as a central resource for information on the California Missions. California Missions By Oceanside High School students, this site features brief histories for six of the California Missions (San Luis Rey, Santa Clara, Carmel, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and San Juan Capistrano) and promises to update with more of them. California Missions Resource Page Put together by a Fourth Grade class at Coyote Canyon School in Rancho Cucamongo, CA, this site has limited information on biographies of key figure, histories for each of the missions, and made a goal to get a floor plan for each mission. California History Collection: The American Memory. Library of Congress. Very brief historical sketches on a variety of California history topics, as well as several pictures of interest. La Purisima Mission Picture Links This site contains several color photographs and some text. It is a project of Buena Vista Elementary School, in Lompoc, CA. Mission San Gabriel de Archangelo Photographss and text written by fourth grader Sarah Cohan. The Spanish Missions of California. By Tobin Frick, this site contains pages for teachers, question and answer information, and a discussion option to speak with other people wanting to discuss the missions. California Mission History Brian Grisin. Junipero Serra and the California Missions. An extremely favorable, and very in-depth, biography of Father Serra. This site includes links to the websites of the missions. California Missions This site includes a map, descriptions of all 21 California Missions and even a video clip. The Four Remaining Franciscan Missions of California Only four of the original 21 California Missions remain in Franciscan hands today. These are Santa Barbara, San Miguel, San Antonio, and San Luis Rey. Many resources are offered for historical research, visitor information and photographic galleries. Make It Your Mission This well-done site features the four missions of the Los Angeles are (San Gabriel, San Juan Capistrano, San Buenaventura and San Fernando). They have a detailed virtual tour, and a number of histories and photographs. Missions of California and Beyond .... Links to 9 missions: San Luis Obispo, San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, San Juan Capistrano, San Buenaventura, Santa Cruz, Soledad, San Jose, San Juan Bautista and San Luis Rey Monterey Bay Area Missions A brief overview of San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, San Antonio de Padua, Santa Cruz, Soledad, San Juan Bautista Mission San Buenaventura A very brief history and photograph of the mission and instructions on how to arrange guided tours. Pacific Web Creations. Carmel Mission The home page for Mission San Carlos Borromeo (Carmel). The Journal of San Diego History "Sociopolitical Aspects of the 1775 Revolt at Mission San Diego de Alcala: an Ethnohistorical Approach" by Richard L. Carrico. This detailed "ethnohistorical" article looks at the 1775 revolt at the San Diego Mission, paying particular attention not only to what happened, but why. Misión San Francisco De Asis (Dolores) - Registered Landmark Number One This site contains a short history of the Dolores mission and many historical photographs and drawings including a two floor plans and elevation diagrams for the mission. Landmark 327 - Mission San Francisco de Asis (Dolores) A few useful photos and visitor information can be found here. Mission San Juan Capistrano A variety of art, photographs, historical sketches and visitor's information such as hours and fees are all available here. Mission San Luis Rey Welcomes You! This Mission's home page contains visitor's information and a variety of historical and pictoral resources including a map to the mission, information about educational packets and frequently asked questions. Santa Cruz Mission Visitor's Page This page contains visitors information about tours, hikes, hours, dates and other useful tidbits. Old Mission Santa Inés A large and colorful site with many excellent photos, an extensive and detailed series of pages on the mission's history and relevant biographies, and informative pages about local business. Also tourist related information about the Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang, nearby towns, and a map. California, United States and Spanish Colonial History San Francisco Cemeteries Useful information about the cemetaries of San Francisco (there are only two, find out why), and particular attention is paid to the cemetary at Mission Dolores. Santa Barbara Earthquakes This intriguing site is primarily about eye-witness accounts of earthquakes in Santa Barbara, but the earlier earthquakes contain information about the missions and from the survivors of the 1812 earthquake which affected La Purisima Mission and others. Santa Cruz Public Libraries: Local History A wide variety of historical information is available here about the Santa Cruz area, all the way from the earliest days of the Mission up through World War II. A useful search box will help students find the resources they need. Sonoma State Historic Park This page contains a variety of information about the Sonoma mission, including archaeology and several good photographs, as well as General Vallejo's estate here. More information is available for visitors. Ventura County Museum of History and Art In addition to visitor's information, teacher's guides and visitor's resources, this site includes links to various galleries of art with relevance to California History. Los Encinos State Historic Park This site contains visitor's information and historical guides to the historic park, located in Encino California at what was once the hub of habitation in the Southern Fernando Valley until the 19th Century. Monterey State Historic Park Information for visitors, those planning special events in the park, and the path of history map to events surrounding this historic park. Museum of the City of San Francisco This site has several good mission resources both biographical and historical about the Dolores mission, and its key founders. It also contains a wide variety of pages detailing other areas of California and San Francisco history. Junípero Serra, The Founder of California Petaluma State Historic Park A page of information for visitors detailing special events and some of the historical features of the park. Women and Power in Alta California: 1790-1835 Don't discount the women of history! This lengthy report details the achievements and contributions of women in early California history as forces for social stability, growth, and economic development in early California, with illustrations. Las Misiones en Baja California "The Missions in Baja California" is a spanish-language only site, which may limit its usefulness for many students. However, the photographs can be understood in any language and are worth taking a look at. Mission Churches of the Sonoran Desert Information is available on mission founded in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico and Arizona. The site contains resources on nine missions and the Pima indians who inhabited the area with excellent pictures. Latin American Resources: Spanish Colonial Architecture in the Americas This page contains information and pictures on the California and Baja California missions and other structures, as well as other Spanish buildings throughout the US, Mexico and South America. Lots of good pictures! Colonial Architecture in Baja California Colonial Architecture in California The Spanish-California Plant Name Quiz A fun matching game to identify the original spanish names with the common english names of planets in California. It is maintained by the Milo Baker Chapter of the California Native Plant Society om Santa Rosa. The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Information This site contains visitors information on a variety of Santa Barbara landmarks, including the Presidio, the largest adobe reconstruction project in the US. Photographs, histories and other information on several structures makes it a useful resource. California During the American Revolution Many don't realize that there were missions founded before the United States became a country, and more were founded during the early years of our nation. Written in 1928, it is useful not only for its information, but as a good way to see how modern attitudes about history change the way we see it. Societies and Organizations FHSAM - Friends of Historic San Antonio Mission This page contains quite a bit of historical information about the San Antonio Mission, the San Antonio Valley, and details about the society founded around it. Several "tours" of the mission are available here. It also includes a brief history of the San Miguel Mission. Summary History of Mission San Miguel Arcangel Padre Serra Parish This site deals mainly with the current Catholic congregation in Camarillo CA, but also has excellent biographical information on Father Serra, and the missions he founded. California Mission Studies Association. The Official California Mission Scholars Web Page. This page gives information about the current CMSA, shares articles, newsletters, and other publications, as well as supporting other links to California Missions. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Anthropology Department The Anthropology Department is a foremost center for Chumash studies, and their site contains many short articles and feature on current research. Contra Costa County Historical Society This society is dedicated to the history and people of Contra Costa County. Along with genealogical information, they have several photograph collections of interest. The Fort Ross Global Village Bringing children from Russia, Alaska and California together to learn about this Russian settlement in California. It includes details of the project as well as historical information from the founding of the historic fort to the present. Society for California Archaeology While this site focuses primarily on the society itself, it can be a good source of links and information for people doing research on California's history and Native Americans. The Official Web Page of SHHAR The Society of Hispanic Historical and Ancestral Research is an excellent source of genealogical data, and may be very interesting to ethnic students, as well as providing an interesting starting point for other investigations. Society for California Archaeology While this site focuses primarily on the society itself, it can be a good source of links and information for people doing research on California's history and Native Americans. Southwestern Archaeology: Lower Colorado River Links to many California archaeology-related websites Society of Architectural Historians, Southern California Chapter This site is an excellent source of information on historic architecture, as well as some more recent examples. Links are available to several mission resources. California Natives on the Internet The Indians of San Diego County A bibliography of books that may be useful to students doing research on the four tribal groups of San Diego County. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. A page about the Cabazon Mission Indians of the Palm Springs area of California. Includes culture and history, as well as news about their casino. History of San Manuel Band of Mission Indians This site lists a brief history (up to modern day) of the Serranos of San Manuel Mission. Paula Giese. Pomo People: Brief History This site offers a fairly in depth overview of Pomo History. From it, you can connect to Paula Giese's main page, which carries links to many Native American pages. This page is no longer updated, as the author passed away in 1997. California Indian Libraries Collection. The homepage for CILC, this page offers contacts, other websites, and pages of California tribal information. Also check out their map sites of California at: www.mip.berkeley.edu/cilc_images/bibs/maps/tribemap.gif www.mip.berkeley.edu/cilc_images/bibs/maps/lingmap.gif The Curtis Collection. Tribal index. Photos of many Native tribes, including the Miwok, the Pomo, and the Yokut, can be found on this page. Official Website of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation. Modern and up to date information about tribal events and culture. Oakbrook Regional Park Chumash Interpretive Center. This page is dedicated to enhancing the public's awareness and understanding of the Chumash People native to Ventura County, both historically and culturally through a visual, verbal, and hands on experience. American Indian Heritage Foundation. American Indian Tribal Directory: a listing, by tribe, of the names and addresses of tribal leaders. Also listed by city and/or state. Karen M. Strom. Index of Native American Resources on the Internet. A menued listing of internet resources about Native Americans. StoneE Productions. Native American Lore Index. This page contains several Native American legends, including stories of the Yokut, Miwok, and the LuiseÒo. Costanoan-Ohlone Indian Canyon Resource. A Resource of Information about Costanoan (Ohlone) and other Indigenous Californians: History, Current Events, Contacts, Native American experience. Also, take a link from this site for information on the Wiyot Tribe of California. The Muwekma Ohlone Website. The official website of the Muwekma Ohlone Indian Tribe, the aboriginal inhabitants of San Francisco, California. Includes news, history, and petitions hoping to declare the Muwekma Ohlone an official tribe. J. Adam Ward. The Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria. This website offers the history of the Mechoopda tribe, using several scanned in photographs and illustrations. A new site, it's still under construction and will probably have more substance in the future. Native American Rights Fund Contact information for several tribes, information on Native American CD's, crafts, books, and films. Mark Franco. Mark Franco's Native American Connection. Information about the Wintu tribe, mostly current events, a little bit of the Wintu language, and a few links. Lisa Mitten. Native American Home Pages. Lots of links to lots of pages. Lytton Rancheria. The Lytton band of Pomo Indians. Not a whole lot of information, but worth one visit. The Official Web Site of the Pinoleville Band of Pomo Indians. Current events, history, contact information, and tribal links on the web. NativeWeb. Native American Search Engine, books and CD's, Native Tech, information regarding Mexican and Central American tribes, and bulletin boards. American Indian Education. Education reform for Native Californian students, lists the goals of learning and use of funds received from the state. Tsnungwe Council. Discusses the culture, history, and current events of the Tsnungwe tribe, as well as offering links to other sites of unrecognized tribes. Linda Yamane. Ohlone. Information about the tribe, as well as several links to on and off-line resources and a link to an on-line photo gallery. Belmont: Ohlone Indians. This site deals with archeological information gathered about the Ohlone. Ohlone/Costanoan Esselen Nation. The cultural history of the Esselen Nation. Includes a story of how Coyote made the tribes. Phil Konstantin. This Week in North "American Indian" History. Time line for the history of Native America. This site has a lot of information, as well as links to other sites. Aptozi. American Indian Link Exchange. Native American search engine, chat sites, and more. Northern California Indian Development Council. Photo gallery, cultural information, the history of NCIDC.