CALIFORNIA MISSIONS SPOONS



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Father Junipero Serra, a member of the Portola exploration team and a Franciscan friar, established the first California mission in the area now known as San Diego in 1769.
 The goal was to establish missions one day's walking distance apart.
By the year 1823, the Franciscans had built 21 missions.

father serra spoon

The purpose of the missions was to convert the "heathen" indians to Christianity and to establish economic outposts in the new land.
By the late  1890's (when these spoons were made) most of the missions had been abandoned or fallen on "hard times".
The preservationists began to restore some of the missions still in daily use and visitors would often visit the more popular and easily accessible missions.
Note: some of the restored missions are still used today as churches.

california mission spoons
A few of the many sterling spoons that are available.

carmel mission spoon
Carmel Mission, Monterey



california mission spoons
sterling spoons featuring the Santa Barbara mission

california mission spoons
nice engraved view of the twin towers on this restored mission in Santa Barbara

california mission spoons
Different view of the Santa Barbara mission

california mission spoons

sterling spoons featuring the Dolores Mission in San Francisco

california mission spoons
embossed view of the Mission San Francisco de Asis (Dolores Mission)

GENERIC IMAGES

generic california mission spoon

Generic mission spoon which could have been sold at any of the museum gift shops

NON-CALIFORNIA MISSIONS

san xavier mission spoon tucson arizona
San Xavier mission, Tucson, Arizona

san miguel church, santa fe, new mexico
San Miguel Church built in 1580, Santa Fe, New Mexico


Visit the San Gabriel (Los Angeles) mission spoon exhibit

visit the San Diego mission spoon exhibit

Return to California exhibits index

Return to spoon planet exhibits index