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.
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.
A few of the many sterling spoons that are available.
Carmel Mission, Monterey
sterling spoons featuring the Santa Barbara mission
nice engraved view of the twin towers on this restored mission in Santa
Barbara
Different view of the Santa Barbara mission
sterling spoons featuring the Dolores Mission in San Francisco
embossed view of the Mission San Francisco de Asis (Dolores Mission)
GENERIC IMAGES
Generic mission spoon which could have been sold at any of the museum
gift shops
NON-CALIFORNIA MISSIONS
San Xavier mission, Tucson, Arizona
San Miguel Church built in 1580, Santa Fe, New Mexico